Creatures of the Nightmare
by Vegetachik
Summary: A creature of Vegeta's nightmares comes back to haunt him.The saiyajin prince has never felt such fear like this before. It is an enemy like no other. Terror, torture, violence, the works. A chilling tale indeed.Caution: Extreme violence.
1. Deaths

'Ok, so I've never done a horror story before, but I figured that it was about time to start. I believe that this story will be quite violent. I mean torture, gore, terror, the works. I must insist that those with weak constitutions and hatred for extreme violence don't read this fic. I warned you, I don't want flames. But if you do like this fan fiction, please review!  Ok, here goes.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own DBZ or any of characters. Akira Toriyama is the creator and Vegeta and the others are his ideas. I just like to write fan fictions.

Chapter 1

The air was warm, the sky was blue, the birds chirped happily….until the roar of a saiyajin sent them flying from the trees. Vegeta glided gracefully through the air, barely lifting off the grass and landing swiftly. Four year Trunks laughed and clapped cheerfully. Vegeta turned, smirking the whole time and wiped some sweat from his brow. Bulma leaned over the counter of the downstairs kitchen and looked out the window. She found herself smiling as she watched her powerful lover dancing through the air performing graceful attacks and various other martial arts.

The window was open and the cool breeze from the warm summer day licked her face. Pushing her blue locks from her eyes she prepared to call the boys in for some lunch, but just as she brought her hand to her mouth to call, the phone rang.

Vegeta threw another punch, sweat flying from his naked arm. He enjoyed his son's awestruck expression at his brute strength. Vegeta found himself training extensively lately. After Kakerotto had died about three years ago, he found himself sitting around doing nothing for around a year. But only a year. He started training again, interested and excited to begin training with Trunks in a few months. Bulma had told him that she didn't want Trunks to begin training too early, but he talked her into letting him train the young boy and that would happen quite soon. Trunks was only four, but Vegeta began _his_ own training when _he _was able to walk. Saiyajins developed faster than humans, and luckily Trunks had those attributes, too. He was more than ready to begin training.

"Vegeta!" Bulma's voice called from the house.

He turned, his black hair blowing in the wind, his blue pants moist with sweat, and his chest bare. He looked down at Trunks who gazed at his father with large blue eyes. '_Just like his mother',_ Vegeta thought.

"Come on, boy," Vegeta snapped. "We're going in."

Upon entering the house he smelled food and his stomach growled angrily. Bulma turned, a concerned expression on her face. _'Uh-oh, I'm in trouble.'_

"I got a phone call," Bulma said. "Gohan said that Piccolo found something strange in a warehouse near West City. He said that they're all going to check it out in about an hour and that you should check it out, too."

Vegeta's eyebrows lowered. This was bizarre. The fighters of earth rarely went on investigative missions unless it was already in their plan. They didn't just beat the cops to some murder site and see if they could find some pointless case to get involved in. Piccolo was certainly one who wouldn't care about an unusual thing that occurred at a warehouse, so whatever it was must have been big.

Vegeta felt himself getting excited. Being a saiyajin always invoked joy when it came to a possible fight. He smirked and moved to the table. Glancing up he saw Bulma frowning.

"What is it, woman?" He asked exasperated.

"Well….what if this is something big? If Piccolo is concerned, then it could mean something bad."

Vegeta sighed. He eyed the empty plate before him and raised an expecting eyebrow at his blue haired mate. She gave a half-hearted smile and placed a large sub sandwich before him.

"If it is something, I'll just destroy it."

Bulma folded her arms and glared at the arrogant prince. "Yeah, well, that's what we all thought when we found the weird egg in Trunks's time machine! I seem to remember a certain creature called Cell invading our planet and Goku and Trunks dying!"

The little, purple-haired, four year old looked from his mother to his father. Bulma gave him a warm smile.

"Not you Trunks. A…a different Trunks."

Vegeta chuckled and began to devour his sandwich. Trunks looked at his strong dad and did the same to his own sandwich.

"No need to worry, Bulma," Vegeta swallowed.

She nodded slowly and turned to gaze back out the window. It was indeed, a lovely day. She thought back to the day that Vegeta fought the androids. She showed no fear, but inside she worried for her saiyajin prince's safety. After Cell, he became so withdrawn. The death of Goku had affected him greatly. He hadn't fought a true enemy since. Was he different now? Was he powerful enough yet to come back home safely if there was a strong invader on earth? She pushed these thoughts aside. He would be fine. The whole Z gang was going so he wouldn't be alone.

_'But he could very well go on his own if there was an enemy. He could ignore the others and fight by himself like he did with Android 18. The others could just ignore him and let him die!'_

She shook these thoughts from her head. Telling herself to relax she turned back to her two boys at the table. Vegeta was holding up a piece of salami as Trunks giggled and reached up for it. She laughed and kept the picture in her head.

In an hour Vegeta was standing at the front door, clad in his attractive blue, yellow, and white armor that Bulma made for him. Her sapphire eyes moved up and down, gazing at the appealing curves. He just looked so….princely. The white gloves, the white boots, and his tall black hair. She walked up to him and embraced him. Vegeta found himself smiling as she worried for him.

"Foolish onna," he muttered as he placed a shiny glove on her head.

She gazed into his black eyes and leaned in for a kiss. Their lips met briefly and then released. Again, Bulma was stricken with how passionate Vegeta had become since the Cell battle. After the year of isolation he broke free and seemed to accept his place on earth. Next to Gohan, he was the most powerful warrior in the universe. Perhaps he felt he owed Goku something? Vegeta had been blamed for Goku's death by a few of the other fighters of earth, and maybe it had actually affected him. He opened up more to her. He seemed somewhat distant when it came to Trunks occasionally, but he was still able to open up to him from time to time.

Vegeta gave her a rare smile and opened the door. Without a word he took off into the air, his light blue ki trailing behind him. Bulma sighed and felt a small hand slide into hers.

"Daddy will be fine," his young said, his confidence filling her. "He's the strongest fighter ever!"

Vegeta concentrated his mind as he flew over the busy city in which he lived. He felt the energies of the others pop into his head and he banked to his left, heading toward the industrial area on the outskirts of West City. He flew over junkyards and stinking factories blowing out large black puffs of smoke. He coughed lightly as the smell of coal, oil, and other gasses filled his nose. He came closer to a large warehouse that held a few machines made by Capsule Corp. It didn't surprise him, though. The Briefs' company pretty much owned every automobile on this side of the world.

The warehouse was about four stories tall and made of red brick. It was narrow and old and looked as if it was falling apart. Vegeta circled around it and stopped as he heard Gohan's young voice call out. He turned and saw the half-saiyajin waving at him from a large broken window. His cold black eyes fell on the powerful, happy-go-lucky boy and he scowled. It still felt as if Gohan was more powerful than he was and he felt anger rise at that realization. Pushing down the burning rage he floated to the window and entered the musky building.

It seemed virtually deserted, but he could see forms of people lying on the dusty floor. Obviously the factory was still in use, but it was kept in terrible condition. It was so dark, Vegeta could hardly see the others, but with his saiyajin eyes he could tell who everyone was.

Along with smell of mildew, mold, and dust, Vegeta's distinct sense of smell could pick up the blood spill. The forms he saw on the ground had to be bodies. But why were they there? And who did it?

"I'm glad you're here," Piccolo boomed.

Vegeta looked toward the Namek. In the darkened room and broken window, he looked an eerie forest green. The cape around him was a deep shade of gray as well as his turban.

"And why is that?" Vegeta barked.

"Just some interesting information," Krillin spoke up.

The short human was kneeling next to one of the fallen humans. Vegeta scoffed to himself. It was stupid how much these fighters cared for fallen humans they didn't even know. Vegeta walked up to the small warrior and the body next to him. That human was still alive, but barely. On closer inspection, Vegeta could see that the worker's stomach was ripped open and intestine rolled across the dirty ground. Quick gasps caused the human to shake uncontrollably.

"What happened here?" Vegeta asked darkly.

He could see Krillen's eyes shimmer in the darkness. How was it that he, the saiyajin prince, could not sense this massacre when it was right by him? He heard Piccolo step up behind him.

"I was training in the forest on an island not far from here," the Namek explained. "I felt, or rather sensed, something dark and shadowed pass by me. I couldn't see anything in the sky or near me even when I left the island to scan. All I know is that it was heading west. I concentrated my mind and opened it up to all the kis in the city. Then I felt it. A sudden panic took place among the people here. Energies dropped, but I felt no large force or the attacker. I came to this area, and this is what I found."

Vegeta had listened intently and frowned. That was strange. These people were obviously torn open by sheer force of strength. How could they no one feel the enemy?

"Yeah, but tell him the most interesting part," Tien spoke quietly, moving forward, too.

The room buzzed with a nervous tension and the person holding Krillen grabbed his boot suddenly as pain coursed through him.

"Maybe Vegeta should ask this human what the attacker was looking for," Piccolo muttered.

Vegeta felt his heart quicken suddenly. They were holding out on him and it was beginning to annoy him! He bent down and grabbed the tortured human roughly by his torn shirt. The man groaned as blood slowly leaked from his mouth. If Vegeta wanted information, he would get it before the weakling died.

"Hey, not so rough!" Yamcha yelled moving from the darkness.

Obviously the stench of death and carnage was too much for the weak fighter so he stood as far from the scene as possible. Vegeta sneered and looked down at the dying human who stared at him with terror.

"You," Vegeta demanded. "Tell me, who attacked you? Why did he do it?"

A weak hand wrapped around his white glove, leaving a red stain across it. Vegeta scowled but didn't shake it off. Something was not right here. Something seemed oddly familiar about these killings, but he couldn't place it. The man gasped and opened his mouth revealing bloodstained teeth. He gagged a few times and stuttered before he could make words.

"T-tall," his voice gasped. "Tall….dark."

Vegeta rolled his eyes. He had dealt with the dying before and it was never easy. They were so damn hard to talk to. Plus, the fact that the weakling's intestine was all over the floor probably didn't help matters.

"His teeth were jagged. Y-yellow, sharp. Towering, he towered!" He coughed up some blood and gripped Vegeta's hand harder. "It stunk. His flesh….gray, rotting. It's voice….no….no voice. Moaned….groaning. It seemed….to come from shadows. Rattling in voice box….hissing."

Vegeta couldn't take his eyes away from the torn human. This creature sounded too familiar. But no…it couldn't be. A cold sweat broke out on Vegeta's forehead as an icy panic gripped him. He became unaware of the others around him as the human rattled with dying breath. Vegeta's heart raced as he went on.

"It wore cape. Black cape….ripped. Its hair…its hair…." He convulsed suddenly and trembled. Vegeta felt his panic rise more. No! He needed to know! He needed to know what this creature looked like and what it did! Vegeta eyed the human with unconcealed uneasiness.

"Its hair what! Long, dread locked! Gray? Rotting as well!"

The brown eyes of the worker widened and he slowly nodded, more blood dripping from his mouth. Tears fell from his eyes as he looked into Vegeta's panicked face.

"Long hair….dread locks. Gray, green, rotting."

The fighters looked at each other. Whatever this warrior or creature was, Vegeta seemed to know of it. In the darkness the earth fighters couldn't see the tremors run through Vegeta's body, but Gohan and Piccolo could. If the most egotistical, arrogant fighter alive was terrified, then there was a problem.

"And….did he say something?" Vegeta whispered, his voice coming out high-pitched.

The man looked confused, but then convulsed in pain. The grip on Vegeta's glove tightened again and then slowly released. He was losing him.

"WELL?" Vegeta yelled.

The other fighters tried to tell him to keep it down, but he roared at them to shut the hell up. The dying factory worker nodded, his eyes shimmering with terror.

"Saying….saying…prince vegetables. Where?"

The room suddenly spun as the blood rushed from his face. A bucket of ice-cold water had drenched him. The shock was overwhelming. No…NO! He forced himself to look at the bloodied mess before him.

"W-what?" he stammered, his lower lip shaking suddenly.

"He said….Cap…capsule corp. company…where? Saying…saying….p-prince….vege…vegeta….."

The man struggled, trying to catch his breath and then fell limp with a sigh. The hand slipped from Vegeta's wrist and landed with a thud to the sticky, bloody floor. The room was quiet again. The fighters glanced down at the saiyajin prince, nervous at his silence. He was obviously shaken, but why exactly? What did this…thing want from him?

The small saiyajin stayed still as he crouched next to the dead worker. He kept his face down as the words went through his head. A numbing terror controlled his mind and body and his expression was a mask of shaking fear. A fear that he hadn't faced since he was a child had returned. The one thing he ever truly felt utter horror toward was after him. He couldn't move. It just wasn't possible.

"So what does this mean?" Yamcha's voice blurted, causing Vegeta to flinch back into reality.

He looked at the human below him and then glanced around the room. The broken window allowed some light into the darkened, dungeon-like area. He could see the shimmer of a light bulb on the lowered ceiling.

"Do you think one of you could turn that light on up there?" Vegeta asked with no trace of princely arrogance. He sounded defeated and tired, not in control at all.

As he heard Tien make his way over to the light Vegeta gathered up all his strength to compose himself. Just as he removed all the terror from his features and struggled to regain his usual blank emptiness, the light switched on.

He heard a quiet moan as the sight before them sickened the other fighters. About six people lay dead on the gray, bloody floor. The room they were in was on the third floor of the factory that created parts for automobiles and other modes of transportation. It looked like a small workroom full of conveyor belts and other machines made for creating products.

The five other humans who were dead when he arrived were a complete mess. Limbs were missing, organs were splattered across the floor, heads and parts of the bodies were split open and torn apart. Vegeta could tell what happened. He needed to confirm it, though.

The human who had spoken to him was lying on his side. Vegeta pulled him over onto his back, the squishing of organs ensuing from the action. Yamcha gagged and quickly walked from the sight. The other fighters watched as Vegeta worked, with interest and disgust. Without hesitating Vegeta pushed the intestine out of his way and plunged his gloved hand into the gaping hole. If he hadn't felt the terror gnawing at his own insides he would have found the gasp and gags from the other fools funny. But he had work to do.

He fished around inside feeling for any missing organs. Stomach: check, bladder: check, spleen: check, lower intestine: check, large intestine…clearly there and on the outside of body. He reached up higher until his elbow was on the inside of the corpse. After years of assassinations, murders, and many other unspeakable acts, he was quite capable of searching on the inside of a body with his own hands. It wasn't his favorite way of trying to discover what he needed, but he had to know.

His hand slipped past lungs, ribs, heart, and other muscles and tissues to find nothing missing. He removed his hand angrily and wiped his glove in confusion….yet relief. Perhaps the creature that did this was not the one that he thought. The one he thought was a consumer of flesh, organs, and other bodily parts. It was a creature of torture, which obviously, whoever or whatever did this was, but he saw nothing missing on this human.

"What….what's going on?" Gohan asked, shocked to see Vegeta behave this way. It was unnerving.

The dark eyes of the prince scanned the body. He was about to feel a small wave of relief when he suddenly noticed the large red stain darkening over the human's crotch. Vegeta's eyebrows lowered and he leaned forward. There wasn't much blood around the dead man's legs except for right there, right where….

The other fighters followed his gaze and their eyes widened. Yamcha peered over the shoulder of Tien and shuddered at the red stain that darkened the corpse's nether regions. As Vegeta moved forward Piccolo reddened in the face and covered Gohan's eyes. The saiyajin prince hesitated as his hand hovered over the area of pants, but he slowly pulled the waistband of the work jeans, his stomach shaking. The fighters watched as Vegeta peered under the pants and stared in shock. His face then bleached of all color and he stood quickly.

An expression of pure horror had engulfed Vegeta. The fighters stared as he trembled and stared down at the corpse. IT was gone. Devoured. The member was torn, ripped from the body and obviously consumed. A fear like he hadn't felt since he was young controlled him. A numbing panic washed over him and he felt a black hole open in the pit of his stomach.

"V-Vegeta?" Krillen asked uncertainly.

They all knew, except for Gohan of course, what Vegeta had seen, or not seen, and were completely disgusted and confused. Some sick twisted creature was after the saiyajin prince and he was scared. Not even Tien or Yamcha could bring up an insulting comment or brash remark as he stood before him, on the brink of going into hysteria.

They all watched in fascination and disbelief as Vegeta's pale skin grew completely white and his rolled up into his head. Piccolo caught him before he landed in the bloody mess of the human. The namek frowned as the blood covered Vegeta stained his white cape and purple training gi, but he held the limp saiyajin up anyway.

"We need to get him home and talk to Bulma," the fifteen year-old Gohan said.

With one last look at the dead bodies on the ground, the fighters took off from the bloody floor and flew out the broken window. They headed to Capsule Corp., all clearly shaken at what they just saw. Whatever was after Vegeta was obviously going to be problem. They all flew in dismay. Never a moment of peace on earth.

'_Ok, so what did you think. I know, I know, a bit…er…nastier than my usual stuff. Please don't be too harsh and let me know what you think. I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible…trust me, it will get scarier and grosser! Thanks!'_


	2. Memory

'Warning: This chapter will contain quite gory stuff. I'm sorry, I just saw Hostel and I got inspired to write a new chapter for this story as fast as I could. So please enjoy…or be disgusted…whichever, just review!'

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or Vegeta…although I can wish. Akira Toriyama has full rights to the characters in this show.

Chapter 2

Bulma never left his side. She held his hand as her sleeping prince lay in his bed, his skin still pale and sweat slowly leaked down his face. She had been so shocked when Piccolo and the others appeared at the front door, a bloodied unconscious Vegeta under the big Namekian's arm. The fighters refused to tell her anything as she washed the blood from him and removed his armor, but as he lye in bed, they filled her in on why her love was in such a state.

The words they spoke chilled her to the bone. If Vegeta was so afraid of this thing that was after him as to pass out, what exactly were they looking at here? She could tell that they had edited the gore out of her expensive, but she got the picture. It was too gruesome to even think about. She made her mother keep an eye on Trunks as she sat beside the stricken prince and the room was quiet as the fighters finished the tale of what they just witnessed.

"Do you think he'll tell us what's going on when he wakes up?" Gohan asked.

Bulma looked at the handsome young boy. He had grown a lot since the last time she saw him and he was looking so much more like his father. His hair was still as short as when he fought Cell, but he was much taller and older looking. His serious dark eyes pierced her blue ones.

"I don't think so," Bulma murmured. "You know how he doesn't reveal much about his past. But perhaps he'll tell me."

Piccolo crossed his arms as he leaned against the wall. "Do try. Make sure he knows that any information he gives will help us all out. I know how he likes to be selfish and battle on his own."

Bulma lowered her eyes. Vegeta's peaceful, sleeping features told a different story, though. If he showed that much fear in front of the "foolish earthlings", as he liked to call them, then he may be inclined to receive their help. Her expression became worried as the story replayed in her head. She did not want those kinds of tortures to happen to Vegeta. She couldn't bare it if he had to experience that kind of pain.

"It's ok, Bulma," Yamcha said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Even if he refuses our help, we won't let anything happen to him."

Bulma's blue eyes narrowed. "From what I heard, you were just as scared as he was."

The room broke out with laughter as Yamcha denied it angrily and blushed. Through a foggy head, Vegeta roused and his eyes slowly opened. Everyone grew quickly quiet as the small saiyajin looked around in confusion, trying to remember where he was. He saw all the foolish earthlings crowded around his bed and he couldn't remember how he got there. He wasn't in his armor either. His eyes scanned all the serious faces until they rested on the blood smeared over Piccolo's cape and training clothes.

His reaction was instantaneous as everything came rushing back. He flew back on his bed, his head hitting the wooden headboard as he thrashed to escape the images he had just witnessed. Tien, Yamcha, and Gohan flew forward and held him down so he wouldn't injure himself or Bulma. He was completely disoriented. Sheer panic raced through his mind as images of pure torture, death, and terror engulfed his mind. The fighters holding him down sweated as the powerful fighter tried to free himself of their grip and flee. Crazed whimpers and panicked squeaks escaped him as he shook. Bulma leaned over the thrashing mess and grabbed Vegeta's face, making him look her in the eyes.

"Vegeta. Vegeta! It's ok! You're back home, back at Capsule Corp.!"

But still the rabid saiyajin squirmed to release himself of his captors. He couldn't see what was right before him. All he saw was the tools covered in blood, the clouded, coal-like eyes glaring into him, and the haunting groan of a corpse resonating through his head. A somewhat painful sting connected with the side of his face and he blinked in confusion.

The images slowly faded as the episode of terror passed. He found his arms being held firmly by Gohan and Tien and Yamcha restraining his upper body. He was shaking uncontrollably. He felt sick with the dark fear consuming him….but also the shame that settled within him. He was so tense and he tried to relax his body with much effort. The fighters around him released him and he fell back on the pillows. He brought his hands up to his face and took some deep breaths. What was happening to him? He had faced so much in his life. Why was this affecting him so terribly?

**_'That's it. Scream little boy. Feel my bony fingers sliding up your back. Feel my rotted nails slip into your spine.'_**

The words had entered his head so suddenly. Flashes of a child hood horror sent a wave of numbing fear throughout him. He flinched as delicate fingers wiped some sweat from his brow.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Bulma asked soothingly.

'_Talk about it?' _Vegeta thought. _'I can't even stand to have the memories in my head much less speak about them.'_

He slowly shook his head, never removing his hands from his face. Bulma glanced up at the boys around the bed. They looked so surprised by Vegeta's actions. He was always one of such calmness and composure. Watching him react to something….unknown was so chilling. She smiled weakly and motioned with her head that they should leave the room. With curt nods, the fighters exited, leaving only the genius scientist and the saiyajin prince.

Tremors ran through his body and he felt nauseated with fear. He kept asking himself why this had to happen. Why did it have to return? They didn't understand. It couldn't be stopped. It had him in its sights and he was a goner. No, he wouldn't die. Death was a luxury compared to these creatures. He would not be so lucky.

"Please Vegeta," Bulma whispered as she ran a hand through his rich, black hair. "Please tell me what it is. We can help. We need to know what happened so we can protect you….protect us."

"I can't!" He moaned as he shook harder. "There's no use. There's no way to help."

Bulma grabbed his wrists to pry his hands away from his face, but he wouldn't budge. She pulled and twisted but he remained motionless. Finally, she stood from the chair that was next to his bed and crawled into the open space next to him. She wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. They lay in that position for a while, taking in the sounds of the blowing wind. Vegeta thought darkly, that at any moment a creature of the darkness would appear and sweep him away. He could die at that moment. Bulma felt her powerful warrior, now weakened with shivers of fear.

"It will help. Just letting someone know and understand your fear will help," she whispered into his ear.

Vegeta felt his throat begin to close up. Burning tears threatened his eyes but he choked them down.

"It will tear you apart," Vegeta replied darkly. "You don't want to hear it."

He removed his hands from his face and rolled over to face her so their noses were almost touching. She looked deeply into his shimmering, dark eyes and smiled.

"Yes I do."

He gave a shaky sigh and took her hands into his. He looked as if he were about to prepare a monumental act, which this basically was for him. He took a deep breath and began the awful story of his past.

………………..

A six and a half year old Vegeta walked smugly through Frieza's base. He had talked the little tyrant into granting him a mission without his bumbling saiyajin fools at his side. Of course, Frieza knew his strength. He probably was afraid of the young prince like everyone else on this compound. His small mouth was curved into an arrogant smirk as he made his way to the space pod launch pad.

He needed to show his strength. He had to prove to everyone that he could take care of himself and didn't need Nappa and Radditz at his side. Even though Frieza had agreed to that, the evil emperor demanded that he take along at least some common soldiers as back up. After even disagreeing to that, a stinging slap to the face made him compromise.

Vegeta's tail whipped out behind him and then settled around his waist. Outside were his pod and two more pods where a soldier he had met once stood and a new face stood by his. The one he knew was humanoid looking. He was a bigger fighter who usually ran some mission plans up in tech headquarters. He wasn't too powerful, but his planning was quite amazing. His skin was a pale shade of blue and his hair was a spurt of yellow on top of his head. His name was Jhanis. The other fighter was tall and incredibly skinny. He was very lanky and was long in everything on his body. His skin was quite yellow, his face was narrow as was his head, and he had white thin hair that rolled down to his back. Vegeta disliked him right away as the man smirked egotistically down at the little saiyajin.

"Good day, Vegeta," Jhanis said as he adjusted his scouter.

Vegeta "humphed" and looked into the blackened sky. "I don't know how much of a good "day" it is. This planet rarely sees the sun."

It was true, though. Vegeta had only spent about a year and half on Frieza's cold planet and it was rare to see any light in the sky. During the day, as short as it was, the sky was usually a lighter purple or gray, but daytime only lasted for about three or four hours and then it was black night for most of the time. Jhanis chuckled at the prince's sour attitude and glanced at the lanky, yellow alien before them.

"This is Gard," Jhanis introduced. "He's usually running spy missions for Lord Frieza, so we don't see much of him. His fighting techniques are exquisite."

Vegeta looked up at the towering stranger and said nothing. His scouter read that both soldiers were not nearly as powerful as he was, but that was good. Vegeta wanted to do this mission alone, so having weaklings by his side was almost the same.

"So what's the plan again?" Vegeta sighed.

Jhanis's eyes looked up as he thought. "Well, we didn't get specifics. All I know is that Frieza wants this planet eradicated and fast. He seemed to feel that the species on this planet is not worth existing. You know how Master Frieza is sometimes." He lowered his voice so only the two warriors with him could hear. "If Lord Frieza finds a planet somewhat threatening to his strength or force, he'll do anything to be rid of it."

Vegeta scowled, but could not miss the flick of an eye gaze rest on him from Gard. What was he indicating? Vegeta found himself disliking the creature even more. Without another word, the fighters entered their pods and blasted off to their destination. It would be a long travel, though not as bad as others. About a month long pod ride was how long this mission would take. Planet X-1134. It wasn't common that Frieza's base couldn't find the name of planets. That usually meant that the beings on the planet were too sparse or strange, or that the planet was just not worth invading. No matter, Vegeta knew that this was going to be a quick job and a couple of months away from Frieza.

He hadn't been with the tyrant very long yet, although longer than most humans would think because the years he went by were longer, but he soon discovered how sick and twisted the lizard leader was. Vegeta had seen the evil, pinkish monster tear people limb from limb, savoring their blood as he did so, just from dropping a glass of wine or forgetting to bow. The small saiyajin, though, found that when he did things that would get others killed on the spot, he would just receive a horrendous beating or a slap to the face. Frieza favored him, and he didn't know why really. Occasionally he would see the cruel changeling's red eyes gazing at his body with an unreadable expression that Vegeta didn't understand at the age of six. It was unnerving and unsettling, but at that age, he just figured that he was admiring his strength.

The small saiyajin found his thoughts drifting away as his pod filled with the sleep inducing gas. His eyes fell as he slept peacefully.

………

The planet was a strange one indeed. Vegeta ambled up to Jhanis and Gard's sides as they walked up the small craters that their pods created. The craters were actually quite smaller than usual. The impact that the warriors took upon arrival actually made them fly from their seats and collide with the domed surroundings. Vegeta exited his pod, grumbling as he rubbed his pained head.

The planet's ground was made of some sort of extremely hard rock. It was black and blue that seemed to shine as if the surface was covered with a thin coat of glaze. There was no vegetation and the sky was a darkened yellowish gray as clouds covered the small, distant sun. It was cold, too. Vegeta hated the cold.

"Well, let's get cookin'," Jhanis said and happily made his way forward.

Vegeta clicked on his scouter as he looked for any nearby power levels. His eyebrows lowered in confusion, as none appeared anywhere. Perhaps there was a mistake. Maybe they were sent to the wrong planet where there was no life source. The creatures could also already be dead. He had heard of other missions where the inhabitants of a planet were already killed from war or disease. He smirked. It was always fun to destroy the lives of innocents on other planets, but doing no work and getting a short vacation was Frieza was always a plus.

"What's up?" Gard whined as he clicked his scouter. His voice an annoying shriek as he spoke and Vegeta glared at him. "Where is everyone? Don't tell me we were sent here for nothing!"

Vegeta rolled his black eyes. "Quit whining," he growled. "Have you never been on a mission before? This happens all the time."

Gard made a funny growl right back at the arrogant saiyajin. "Of course I've been on missions! I've been doing this much longer than you kid!"

Vegeta turned around, preparing to launch a string of insults his way, but Jhanis held up a hand, silencing the two. His light blue eyes stared seriously into the distance. Vegeta slowly turned and followed his gaze. The freezing wind blew across the black rocks, causing the small saiyajin's eyes to water at the brisk temperature.

The three warriors stared as a black, billowing cape blew in the wind. A tall figure balanced gracefully on the tip of a jagged rock in the distance. It seemed to be wearing some kind of large black hat. It was too far away to see any details, except that it was just black. It seemed to be in a shadow that came from nowhere. It didn't move, just stood in the distance as the wind blew its tattered clothing.

The fighters stared right back at it. No power level or life source of any kind appeared on their scouters. Bewildered and uneasy, Vegeta clicked his scouter on and then off again. Still, it showed nothing.

"Don't worry kid," Jhanis said. "Some species have a different power that scouters don't read. I've seen a few like this."

"But….but we should still be able get a reading on some type of life power. I mean, the thing isn't dead."

He heard Gard chuckle annoyingly behind him. "Aw, the nervous baby is scared. Why Frieza sent a kid to do a man's job is beyond me. And a saiyajin nonetheless."

Vegeta whipped around preparing to launch an attack at the tall fool, but Jhanis let out a hiss of breath. Turning back around, Vegeta saw that the creature had moved somewhat closer. The young saiyajin looked up at the beefy Jhanis and saw fear in his eyes.

"What?" Vegeta asked, hiding his nervousness.

"It just moved. It was like an image that was there and then just popped closer. I couldn't even follow it."

Vegeta stared, transfixed at the enemy before him. He would not miss it when it moved again. The planet was silent except for the cold howling of the wind. The tall, shadowy creature remained motionless as it stared at them. Vegeta anticipated fighting a creature of such bizarre ways. He just needed to see its power first.

The creature in black was motionless. Its black cape or cloak whipped with the wind and Vegeta could see small strings of darkness flowing from underneath its hat. It must have been hair. Suddenly, it just appeared closer. There was no movement at all from the thing. It just flashed suddenly and appeared closer to them. Vegeta felt his small hands tighten. How could something move so fast? How could he see no shudder of a movement? It was like some kind of taped image where the recording device stopped, the thing being taped moved, and then it just started up again. It was like stop motion animation.

"Let's blast this thing," he found himself saying.

"No fool," Gard hissed. "It may have different intentions than fighting. It doesn't know we're the enemy."

Vegeta clenched his teeth angrily at the fact of being called a fool, but he forced himself to remain staring at the creature. Once again, it flashed and appeared even closer. Vegeta's heart hammered in his chest as he could now see the details of the stranger before them.

From what he could see, the skin was dark, almost like leather, and….by the gods…it seemed to be rotting. The flesh was blackened with spots of gray. Pieces of its face seemed loose as if it was decaying. The clothes were black, as well. They were torn and looked so old that they seemed to be decaying like the skin. The hat was large, with an extremely wide brim that helped shadow its face. Tangled, lined hair hung from under the black hat. The locks had a greenish, gray coloring; obviously they had not been washed for a long time.

"Speak," Jhanis demanded. "Who are you?"

But even Jhanis couldn't keep the fear from his voice. The creature appeared right before them now. There was no seeing it coming. Vegeta stood by Jhanis's side as Gard stood in the back. All three shook in surprise at the un-welcomed confrontation. Vegeta felt a sudden fear gnawing at his insides as he looked at the creature before him. He couldn't shake the foreboding feeling that there was something wrong here. It was an enemy he had never seen before. It carried with it a cloud of unmistakable evil.

The creature slowly grinned, revealing rows of rotting, yellowed teeth. They were jagged like broken pieces of glass. Its dead, soulless eyes slowly moved downward and pierced straight threw the prince. Vegeta couldn't move. A fear like one he had never experienced gripped him. Why was he so afraid of this thing? He had dealt with a lot in his short life and he hadn't even fought this creature yet. Why couldn't he even move? Why couldn't he take his eyes off the creature? The dead, cold gaze of the towering, shadowed phantom held him there.

"Who are you?" Gard shrieked. "We demand information on your species and your planet!"

The monster held its gaze on Vegeta a bit longer before finally looking up at the yellowed alien standing smugly behind the other two. He grinned even larger and a sudden diseased moan escaped it. It sounded as if it was in pain. The moan was that of death and torture. A loud rattling emitted from its throat as if its esophagus was breaking apart. Vegeta's eyes widened with terror as suddenly hundreds of creatures like this one surrounded them. They appeared out of thin air! All of them mimicked the one before him with the chilling moans and groans of pain, and the strange rattle that came from their throats. They didn't all look the same, though. Sure they had the rotting skin and jagged teeth, but the clothes varied, the heights on them all were different, and the hair, though molding and matted, were of different lengths. Perhaps the one that stood before the new warriors was the leader.

"I think now is a good time to attack," Jhanis barked.

"Agreed," Gard replied.

The two large fighters launched themselves into the air. With wild battle cries they flew at the cloaked creatures. Vegeta stood motionless. The tall one before him stared down at him again. The same toothy grin appeared. The caved in eyes shimmered with an insane hunger for death.

"You know it's pointless, kid," the voice rattled. The thing breathed loudly and wheezed, but its voice was a deep hiss. The mere sound of the creature sent chills of ice-cold dread throughout the saiyajin prince. "You're smarter than those two. You know that death awaits you all."

Vegeta found the strength within him and his fiery arrogance ignited. He crouched low and growled. "I am the Prince of all Saiyajins, Vegeta! I will not back down!"

With a small howl of rage, Vegeta leapt of the ground and kicked at the enemy. His eyes widened as his foot went through the creature as if it didn't really exist. He stole a glance behind him and saw his two partners having the same problem. The monsters stood and chuckled as their kicks and punches glided through them.

_'An illusion?'_ Vegeta thought frantically.

This idea was quickly proved false as the shadowed enemy before him grabbed his foot with one large, rotted hand. Vegeta gasped as he found himself thrown painfully into the ground. He allowed is head to clear before he launched himself into the air again. He was running on pure adrenaline now as he swung a fist forward, his gloved hand once again sliding into the air. As he tried to figure out what kind of trickery these inhabitants were using, he heard a strangled cry and saw Gard being lifted by his narrow throat by a particularly ugly monster. Vegeta snarled at the beasts and flew off to make sure his partner didn't get himself killed. Before he could attack, though, a tug at his ankle caused him to stop.

The main creature held him by the ankle with some sort of metal contraption. Two pinchers with rusted serrated edges clamped around his ankle. Luckily, Vegeta's white boots protected him from the weapon, but he couldn't break free. Forming a ki blast in his tiny hand he hurled it at his enemy's face. It collided and smoke hovered over the rotted face. Vegeta smirked and allowed himself to relax in the air as the metal clamp was still attached to his ankle. The smile quickly disappeared, though as the smoke vanished.

The rotted skin was now completely loose and brownish-red blood poured from the attack. But the creature smiled still. Its eyes still peered at the child with cold, dead evil. Very slowly, the skin magically began to wrap itself back around the face and recover from the frenzied attack. Vegeta didn't have time to stare in horror as the creature tightened its hand around the jagged, serrated edges cut deeply into the saiyajin's ankle. Vegeta screamed in agony as the weapon dug deeper, cutting into his bone. Blood gushed from his boot and he fell to the hard ground.

He couldn't understand why his partners weren't helping him. Through the horrific pain, he glanced up and saw Gard being held above the ground by his throat and Jhanis laying on the ground as the creatures stood over him. With one last bite of the metal clamp around his ankle, Vegeta screamed in pain and then quickly fell into darkness.

………………..

Blood. That's what he woke up to. The sour stench hit his olfactory senses and his heavy eyelids opened. High-pitched screams were heard in the strange darkness and he moved his clouded eyes back and forth. He felt so heavy, like he couldn't lift his head. He tried to remember what happened and it hit him. Angrily he sat up and gasped in horror as he did. He was shaking with fear before he even knew what was going on.

He sat on an old, wooden table in the middle of a darkly lit room. Dull fluorescent lights and small candles cast an eerie reddish-orange tint to everything. He glanced around him, shaking from head to toe at what he saw. He couldn't tell what the room was made of because the ceiling and parts of the walls were completely covered. Covered with the dead. Bodies that were completely mutilated were stapled to the wall. Some were held there with giant poles or jagged stones sticking through them. Piercing rings or strange iron nettings inserting through the skin held some there. His lip trembled as screams of torture entered his head. The smell of death made him gag and he brought a trembling hand to his mouth. Only then did he notice the small table next to him full of jagged, rusted tools he had never seen. His eyes widened as he froze and then he threw himself off the table. He landed on his feet and screamed as his left foot touched ground. He fell onto the floor as horrendous pain caused him to black out slightly.

When the white haze that covered his mind subsided he turned and saw that a splintered bone shot out from his white boot. Blood covered his small lower leg and muscle tissue barely kept his foot connected. He gagged and threw up whatever he had eaten that day. From the view on the ground he could see stairs and entrances to other rooms. He saw movement in the room next to his and he craned his head over to see if at least one of his partners was still alive. He gasped and let out a choked cry at what he saw.

Jhanis's blue skin was covered with his red blood. He hands were tied above him and connected to the ceiling of his small room. A brown, rusted cage held him standing as needle-like poles dug into his skin. His armor was removed but he still wore his spandex black pants. Vegeta could see two blackened creatures standing before him continually jabbing him in the ribs and back with serrated weapons of torture. Every time a jagged edge entered his body, the creatures would quickly rip it back out, tearing hunks of flesh with it. The man screamed and squirmed, making the poles sticking into his body bleed more and dig deeper.

Vegeta let out a small sob. He couldn't feel any of his energy and he couldn't run away with his foot in this condition. He realized that his scouter was gone too and he felt his lip quiver and eyes begin to water. He was going to die. He had never really feared dying before because he always believed that he was strongest in the universe. He was probably even stronger than these disgusting freaks, but they could not be of this world. They had to be a demon of some sort. He'd never seen anything like them before, and it terrified him. Vegeta always demanded to be in control of a situation, but now he had no idea what he was going to do. He was going to be tortured.

No! He would refuse to just lye there and wait to be tormented. He would not give these freaks the satisfaction and watching him squirm. He rose up and grabbed the small table he had been lying on. As he stood, all the blood rushed to his feet and he screamed out in agony as his mangled foot throbbed. He looked down and felt a wave of vertigo as the foot barely hung by a few strings of sinew and tissues. He dropped to the ground again and gagged as the pain engulfed him. He allowed the nausea to pass and he slowly began to pull himself across the disgusting, blood stained floor. He managed to exit the room that he was held in and found a long, dimly lit corridor. More screams of terror and pain echoed through the hall and he shuddered.

He had no idea where to go or where he was even. But he still dragged himself across the dusty floor. A long streak of blood traced the ground as the red fluid continually leaked from his appendage. He knew he was losing a lot of blood and hoped that he would escape before he passed out and was found or died before they could have there way with him.

He reached the end of the hall and moaned as he gazed down a never-ending stairway. He closed his eyes and rested as a sudden dizziness assailed him. For about a minute or two he waited, and then slowly began to crawl down the stairs. The concrete (or whatever they were made of) steps were dusty and caused Vegeta's small hands to slip. The injured warrior found himself sliding face first into the stair before him, breaking open his little chin as he ungracefully fell down the stairs. With each step he hit he let out a small whimper of pain. His foot flopped around uselessly and he screamed as he finally hit the bottom of the spiraled stairs.

He lay there for a moment before he raising his head to see where he was. He was in a barren room that held nothing but a small table and a bottle of some sort of liquor. His eyes widened and he felt a wave a relief hit him as he glanced at the wall of the room and saw a small open window. He smiled as tears of happiness leaked from his eyes and he immediately began to crawl forward. Small gasps of laughter escaped him as he rolled underneath the window that held his freedom. He grabbed the sill and slowly pulled himself up. He knew that he would need as much will power as possible to keep from passing out from the pain. He also knew that he would need energy to fly free from the awful building. As he began to pull himself up a stabbing pain entered his spine and he howled in agony as a heavy foot stomped his sensitive tail. He fell to the ground and writhed as a pointed heel dug his tail into the dirty floor beneath him.

The small saiyajin twisted and foamed at the mouth, trying to get away, but the heel dug in harder. He screamed, his high-pitched voice resonating throughout the haunted corridors. The creature chuckled darkly and removed his foot. The little boy lay on the ground choking and coughing as he breathed in the rancid dust on the clay-like concrete. Crouching low, the monster before him placed a rotted, stinking hand on the prince's cheek. Vegeta flinched and shuttered at the cold, dry touch. The thing smelled terribly. It was a walking corpse and it had him in its sights.

"Now now, young child," it sneered. "No need to worry. Soon you will be apart of something so much greater."

Vegeta couldn't stop the tears that ran down his rounded cheeks. He sniffed and hiccupped as a shuddering breath escaped him. "W-what do you mean?"

"You're two friends are not fortunate enough to join us. They will be tortured and killed. Now you, you too will experience the horror of the torture, but you shall not escape from it with death. You will be a part us once we're satisfied."

_'Satisfied!' _ Vegeta began to shake uncontrollably. "What do you mean? Be a part of what? I don't understand."

The creature chuckled cruelly again and patted Vegeta's face. "All in due time, boy. All in due time."

The creature stood and Vegeta could hear him walk away. He was too exhausted to turn over and watch the monster, so he remained facing the blank, orange wall. He heard the cling of the bottle on the table and suddenly the creature doused the liquid on his foot. Vegeta shrieked as his foot felt like it was on fire. Pain exploded in his leg and he convulsed as the liquid sank into the torn limb and spread like needles through his body. Whatever this alcohol or potion was began to paralyze his lower limbs. A needle-like pain slowly crept up to his mid-section and upper body, causing him to not be able to move. He could turn or twitch ever so slightly, but he couldn't lift a single part of his body. More tears ran from his eyes as a helpless feeling of darkness filled him.

He found himself being carried back up to the room that he had escaped from. He couldn't stop the flow of tears from his eyes, but he didn't scorn himself for it. He was going to die anyway and he could not stop it. He was so close to freedom and he failed. And what did this monster mean? He was not going to die? Was he going to become a zombie like it was?

He was tossed carelessly onto the table and let out a pained cry as his foot collided with the edge of the table. He was not numb of pain. In fact, it felt as if his nerves had become more sensitive. Gods, this was not fair. How long would he be able to stand the pain of torture before he lost his mind completely? His eyes slowly landed on the table full of rusted, dangerous tools and he gagged on his terror. The monster swept over to him and grinned, showing the rotting yellow teeth. He leaned over the injured child and placed his narrow, bony fingers on his victim's temples. He was pleased to hear a small whimper escape the saiyajin prince.

Vegeta stared up at the sunken eyes with a pleading look. He studied the moldy face hovering above him, noting the shadowed eyes that held hazy, coal-colored irises. Its cheekbones protruded and its cheeks sunk in, as well. The lips were thin and chapped as the skin around it hung, almost falling from the face. Vegeta didn't have long to study the nightmarish thing as pain suddenly lanced through his head. He shrieked as images of his life flashed in front of him. It was reading his mind! Vegeta felt his tears flow faster as his open mouth created sounds he didn't know he could make. The pain was horrific and then, suddenly, it ended. The beaten saiyajin was jerking with tremors as he panted for breath.

"Already a killer at such a young age," the voice mused. "I was interested in you when I first saw you, but now I'm intrigued. I can see why this Frieza is so interested in you. Your mind is like an open book. You think so differently than other killers. Guilt, conscience, shame, you feel, but also elation at a kill, joy of power, and an arrogance that can't be beat. Even when you are defeated you can't be broken. What a fun game this shall be."

A long finger with a chipped, decaying yellow fingernail slowly traced from Vegeta's forehead down the middle of his face to his busted chin.

"Why? What do you want from me?"

The room echoed as the creature laughed.

"After I'm through with you, I am going to collect your soul. For eternity you shall sit within my being and relive the tortures of your torment and all the others that I have taken."

Vegeta found his mouth hanging open as he listened. His body was beginning to hurt now as his tense muscles vibrated with terror. His eyes followed the two new creatures of darkness as they carried in the body of Jhanis. He was no longer recognizable. Muscle, tissue, blood, and bone were all that was left of him. The two torturers laughed as they rammed a few rusted spikes into the mess and left him hanging to the wall.

"W-w-why?"

"Because I want to sense you within me forever. I love to know when I crush the arrogance and ego of a warrior. I have no saiyajins in my collection and the knowledge that I have collected the saiyajin prince is too yummy."

Vegeta couldn't help it. He let out a defeated sob and turned his head up at the corpses stabbed into the ceiling. He squeezed his eyes shut and shook. His psychotic captor walked around his wooden table and fingered the rusted tools. Vegeta felt himself hyperventilating now. He couldn't remove his eyes from the horrid table next to him. The insane monster above him snapped his fingers, sending a piece of gray skin flying from his finger.

"Bring him in!"

Gard was thrown into the room by another awful creature. Vegeta's captor pulled the saiyajin into a sitting position and held his head so he could watch. With a quivering lip Vegeta's fearful eyes stared into Gard's. The yellow alien still had his armor on and his face was a bit bloody, but he hadn't the opportunity to feel the pain of their torture yet. He was shaken, though. He saw the fear in the usually fearless saiyajin prince and his eyes fell on the bleeding appendage at the end of Vegeta's left leg.

"I figured you'd want a taste of what is to become of you, too," Vegeta's torturer whispered loudly in his ear.

Gard shook and bared his teeth. "Come on boy!" He yelled. "Aren't you one of the most powerful fighters around? Aren't you the strongest saiyajin ever? Help me out here!"

Their captors laughed evilly. The one smaller phantom-creature left Gard's side picked up a narrow, extremely long poker that was leaning up against the table of tools. Gard let out a shriek of power and launched forward. He swung at his enemy, once again his fist swinging right through the monster. Without hesitating the beast thrust the poker up, right through Gard's narrow waist. His yellow face contorted into a scream of agony. As he hung in midair his torturer placed a hand over Gard's face and crushed it effortlessly. The yellow soldier fell to the ground, screaming and flailing as all the bones in his face broke and blood poured from the wounds.

"You shun ub a bitch!" Gard screamed through bleeding lips. "You shun ub a bitch! Ah'll kilb you!"

Vegeta watched as the shrieking fighter clutched his face and writhed on the floor. His attacker seemed to float up next to the tall, lanky fighter and it pointed its fingers at him. The sharp, yellow nails shot from its fingertips and impaled Gard's ribs. The room erupted into screams of agony and Vegeta moaned. He didn't want to see this. He didn't want this to happen to him. The nails slipped back out and the yellow-skinned warrior gasped for breath as his orange blood leaked from his side. His enemy turned slowly toward Vegeta and he felt his blood run cold. It glided toward him and Vegeta tried to squirm away but his captor held his head firmly between his long hands. Gard's torturer reached a hand toward Vegeta and grinned, then picked up a serrated metal tool. It looked like brass knuckles, but had different sized blades on the top of it.

In horror Vegeta couldn't help but watch as it descended down upon on Gard and plunge the jagged tool repeatedly into Gard's armor with such a force that it sliced through his skin. Every time the blades were pulled back out, bits of flesh and blood flew across the room. Vegeta sniffled and cried as he watched the torture continue. He had never seen anything so horrendous. In all his training and throughout his short life he had never experienced such torture or gore. He was an efficient killer who was trained to just end lives, not take pleasure in pain and torture people. Not even Frieza did things like this….he hoped.

Gard's tormentor stopped and the only thing heard were gasps of pain and his life ending. The long poker tool was brought out again and raised above Gard's shaking body. A horrifically deranged grin appeared on the creature and brought the skinny pole down through Gard's heart. Vegeta's partner gasped as his bloodied mouth opened. He trembled as blood poured from his mouth, but he wasn't dead yet. The young prince watched as his yellow ally was picked up and sheared through the stomach with the long poker. Three more poles appeared in the creature's hand and were rammed into Gard's shoulders and legs, pinning him to the wall like some child's insect collection. He still wasn't dead though, but the nightmare creatures were finished with him.

"Vulcher," Vegeta's captor growled. "Well done."

The one called Vulcher bowed. He was shorter than the one that held Vegeta and his hair was just a gathered knot on top of his head. He grinned once more and drifted from the room. Vegeta's head was released and he landed with a nasty thud against the wooden table. Again the young boy was forced to stare at the lifeless eyes peering down at him from the ceiling.

"You see," his disgusting tormentor mused, "with the ones we only wish to torture and kill we pin them on the wall here. As for the ones we keep, as you shall soon be, you'll pinned just like this…inside my mind, where I can keep you forever."

He leaned over and stared into Vegeta's young face. A squirming, purple tongue came out of his mouth and licked its blackened, chapped lips.

"Are you ready for some fun?"

_ Ok! Phew! Well, what did you think? I know, cliffhanger. I just thought that the chapter was getting long and it would be better to put Vegeta's torment into the next one. I know it was a bit much and the next chapter shall be as well. Let me know what you thought and I will certainly try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible! Thanks!_


	3. Torture

'Ok, well, the last chapter was a bit graphic…and this one may be worse. This is a chapter that will be about what happened to Vegeta so for those who don't want to read it….DON'T. But if you do, please review. Warning: very graphic.'

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ. Akira Toriyama does!

Chapter 3

He sat at the end of the bed, he stammered as he spoke. Bulma sat next to him, her arms around his shoulders as he retold the tale of horror. The way he told made her feel as if she was there. He finished where the creatures had their sights on him and he stopped. Many times, Bulma feared that he would cry or leave or do something to take his mind off the horrific events he tried to forget. She felt like crying herself. How could someone go through that? How could a six year old experience it? He was traumatized, but Vegeta was such a strong and resilient character that he had managed to bury it deep within him. But now it was all coming back. Somehow, these things found him again.

Bulma rubbed his shaking back, trying to relax him. Her hands slid over the long-sleeved, white cloth shirt he was wearing. His pants were just a plain pair of gray baggy pajama pants. He swallowed as he gazed at the floor, preparing to continue on with the one most terrifying moment he had ever encountered in his entire life.

"So, how did you escape?" Bulma asked as she leaned her head on his shoulder.

He sighed and looked away. "I'll get there."

She nuzzled his neck and comforted him. "Take your time."

His dark eyes gazed at the far wall as he pictured the shadowed creature of his nightmares and opened his mouth to speak.

………………

The shimmering, cold eyes of death peered over his young face.

"Are you ready to have some fun?"

The six-year-old wanted to flee so badly, but his body wouldn't respond. It hurt. His shaking was so bad he though he might fall apart. His wide eyes followed the creature as he circled the small child, gazing at him with much interest.

"Why-why are you going to torture me?"

The yellowed grin appeared again. "It is just our custom. We like to show off our art before we merely kill someone."

Vegeta's small lip quivered again. More tears rolled down his young face. "Don't do this."

"Why!" The creature demanded suddenly flying to Vegeta's side. The stench was overwhelming to Vegeta's delicate senses. "You came here with you little friends to destroy us! Why shouldn't we kill you?"

"Because I would never do this!" Vegeta screamed. "I'm an efficient killer. I don't take joy in tormenting."

"Oh but you do," the deep hissing voice mused. The rotted fingertip traced across Vegeta's face. "I saw it in your mind. Your ego rises with every creature you kill. Sure you may not torture your victims as I do, but you get satisfaction. If you had not come here to die, you would be a mindless killing machine, as you grew older. You would have been Frieza's little puppet, my prince."

The room was instantly filled with Vegeta's shrill voice screaming with rage. How dare this monster taunt him before he did unspeakable things to him. What did it know about him? Vegeta growled as ferociously as he could and tried to thrash off the table, but he barely turned his head and shoulders in the process. The movement caused him to grow exhausted and his foot began to ache horribly. He cursed himself for being so stupid. He knew that he needed his energy to survive the upcoming torment he was about to endure.

"Are you finished with your tantrum?"

Vegeta moaned and looked away from his captor. He heard a clink of tools and his heart sank. A cold dread filled him and he forced himself to turn his head and look. His expression must have been a look of pure terror, because the phantom hovering above him smiled and chuckled lightly. Vegeta felt his mouth curl up into what might have looked like a strange grin, but was actually teeth-clenching horror.

The shadow man held in his hand a pair of cruelly curved scissors as large as Vegeta's head. He descended upon the boy and grinned as the table shook from Vegeta's compulsions of terror. The razor-sharp scissors were coated with blood and chunks of hair and rust. Vegeta squeezed his eyes shut and waited for the pain. But none came. He heard a snap and another snap and realized that his armor had come loose. His tormentor removed his armor from his upper body and tossed it into the corner.

No. His one protection. The tiny saiyajin lay helpless on the table that was stained with blood and who knows what else, in nothing but his stretchy blue under-clothes. His tail tightened around his waist as fear gripped him. Now it would begin. He gazed up at the lifeless eyes that stared down at him and tried to tell himself to relax. But how that was possible he didn't know. He was going to die. No, he was going to be trapped within the mind of this phantom creature forever, being tortured for eternity. He was never going to get more powerful, he was never going to become a super-saiyajin, he was never going to grow older, he was going to die. The last prince of the saiyajin was a goner.

He told himself to be strong. He told himself to show no fear, to bite his lip and show no pain. But he couldn't. What was the point? He had already given it away that he was so scared. The creature read his mind and knew that it had won. Vegeta decided to give in to the pain. Hopefully he'd lose his mind and wouldn't know what was happening in time.

It appeared out of nowhere. The needle the size and thickness of a pencil plunged non-stop into his abdomen six times before he even knew what happened. Vegeta screamed and writhed, tears pouring from his face as he bawled. He was able to handle a lot of pain, and being a saiyajin, he had tough skin, but the thing that horrified him, the thing that made him filled with the most terror, was that the fact that it was beginning. The beginning of the end was starting. His torment was underway.

"Perhaps before we get started, I should introduce myself," the husky voice rattled. "I am Lord Walcon, leader of the Shadow Demons."

Vegeta remained gasping for breath and choking on his tears as this Walcon creature waved the weapon he held in front of his watery, brown eyes. It looked like some kind of bottle opener that one would twist and the corkscrew would slowly wind down. The sick monster squeezed the sides and the long needle would dart out, perfect for quick plunges of the skin. He saw bits of bloody flesh on the end and he let out a few squeaks of horror. He turned his head and saw lines of blood leaking from his abdominal muscles.

Throwing his head back, Vegeta let out a scream that shook the room. It slowly ended with a pathetic sob. He vibrated with dread as Walcon placed the tool down and picked up two fuzzy pads. They were tied together with a wire and more wires that led down to the floor where Vegeta could not see. The fuzzy, earmuff looking objects were placed on Vegeta's temples. He could hear an unusual hum and then suddenly, his world exploded with pain. His body convulsed as electricity coursed through him. He chattered deliriously and shrieked as wave after wave of powerful currents flowed through him. His body felt as if it was on fire! The table he was on rattled and vibrated as the body on it started to smoke. In absolute horror, Vegeta felt his vision turn red as blood slowly seeped from his eyes, his hearing became muffled as the red fluid leaked from his ears, and his nose became plugged as the same happened. Then it ended. Walcon removed the pale, off-white muffs and threw them back on the table of tools.

There was no way to describe the pain he felt. The horror was beyond belief as smoke slowly rose from parts of his body that were torn open by the sheer current that had run through him. Two blackened bleeding scorch marks appeared on both of his temples, and all he could see were objects through a dull, red haze. He was gasping, his child-like voice wheezing and choking. He tasted blood as it streamed from his nose into his mouth. Walcon said something, but it just sounded like a muffled speaker. Vegeta lay on the table, head lulled to one side as he waited for the next piece of true horror.

Vegeta found himself being turned over and he groaned as pain lanced through his shaking frame. He lay on his stomach gagging and whimpering. His eyes widened and he sobbed as he felt the cold, dead fingers on his back. He heard a faint ripping sound and realized that the back of his blue shirt was torn open. He was regaining some of his hearing and now all he could hear was a loud buzz humming in his ears.

Pain. He felt the narrow, bony fingers dig into his back. They were under his skin! Vegeta tried to move, tried to squirm away, but all he could manage was to twitch and jerk under the intense pressure against his back. He screamed out a miserable sob as he trembled wildly.

"That's it. Scream little boy. Feel my bony fingers sliding up your back. Feel my rotted nails slip into your spine."

The saiyajin's young voice went up even higher as the rotted nails scraped the bones on his spine. It felt as if Walcon was trying to wrap his fingers around the vertebrae. Muscles and tissue were ripped as the hand dug deeper into his flesh. Vegeta's throat bled as he screamed and choked. The nerves around his spine spread pain throughout the rest of his body. The fingers squirmed against his backbone and the muscles surrounding it. Then they slipped out. The pain was too excruciating. Hot saliva filled his trembling mouth and he vomited on the wooden table. Too exhausted to keep his head up anymore, his small face fell into the slime as he jerked and twitched. Moans and squeaks of agony escaped him and he sobbed into the blood stained wood.

The creature of darkness easily turned him back over and stared into the white face that held an expression of pure dread. His little mouth was open and gasping, his eyes were wide with terror as clear and bloody tears ran down his face. Walcon smirked and placed a hand on the beaten child's face. Vegeta flinched at the touch and let out a low moan.

"Such an attractive young face," the nightmarish voice said. "I wonder how you would have looked when you got older. Too bad, we'll never know….so I won't have any issues with destroying it now."

Vegeta's open mouth trembled as his twisted torturer picked up five narrow nails and waved them in front of the young fighter. Vegeta couldn't believe it. He couldn't believe this was happening. His whole body was going numb as blood seeped from the wound in his back, but he still had enough feeling in his face. Walcon picked up what looked like a hammer or mallet of some sort as he placed one of the nails against Vegeta's cheekbone.

"No….no, ple-"

His plead became an insane screech as the impact rammed the nail through his zygomatic bone. This time Vegeta flailed and rocked the table as he flew upward in pain and landed with a loud thud against the hard wood. The pain was so intense that he blacked out for a moment or two before regaining some of his senses. His left eye was a dull, clouded gray as the pain in his left cheekbone numbed that side of his face. He begged silently for death, but received none as another nail was placed further from the previous, closer to his ear. He sobbed and stared pleadingly at his captor, but received no pity.

Again he found himself black out, this time for longer, as another nail inserted into his face. As he woke, he found that he couldn't move his jaw without experiencing nauseating agony. The nail was near his left ear, but quite close to where his jaws met. With a clenched mandible, Vegeta shrieked in pain.

"Now, now, we have three more to go. Are you still with me?"

Vegeta stared up at the creature through bleary, squinted eyes. His right eye was still clouded with a dull film of blood from the electrocution, as his left eye was barely working through a cloud of smoky darkness. His legs felt non-existent due to the hole in his back. He had no idea what condition his foot was in, but it didn't matter, because he wouldn't need his body anymore. He was a mutilated freak now and no one could help him. The three nails were inserted quickly into the left side of face and the pain caused him to vomit again. With his clenched jaw the warm liquid came up his nose and leaked through his teeth.

"Ah, what have we here?" Walcon sneered as he fingered Vegeta's furry brown tail.

Vegeta's eyes widened as he saw his sensitive pride and joy in the grasp of the corpse before him. He shook his head frantically and groaned through a clenched jaw. Walcon gave him the most insane grin he could manage, baring the disgusting yellow teeth and tugged. The pain was even more severe than other times he had it pulled. It must have been because his back was in a horrid condition. Walcon squeezed the appendage, laughing as Vegeta screamed, his mouth aching from the nails in his face.

The creature brought the tail up to his jagged teeth and bit down. Stars exploded in Vegeta's vision and he convulsed as pain shot through his body. The yellow teeth shredded the fur at the top of his delicate tail and tore into the skin around the narrow bone. It felt like hours as Walcon bit into it and savored the blood, but he finally stopped. He released the tail, which flopped uselessly on the table and smiled.

"Ahhh, saiyajin blood. That has to be the tastiest I've ever had."

Vegeta choked and hiccupped as he looked at the bleeding thing that hung from his backside. From the base to the middle of his tail was normal still, but halfway up to the tip held no more fur except for chunks here and there. The pointed tip of his bone stuck out and was matted with blood and pieces of skin. He dry heaved as he gazed at the bone that was once a healthy tail.

He felt all his energy drain out of him and he cried. His terrified sobs echoed through the now silent corridors.

"Please….please, no more."

He lay on his side and shook as his stomach heaved and he cried. His tormentor hovered over him and fingered the nails that stuck from his face.

"I suppose it is time to take you within me now."

Vegeta's eyes widened. No….NO! Anything but that. He could not spend an eternity in the mind of this psychotic torturer! He would not be able to bear a life in his mind in a room like this, stabbed into the wall like some insect. He froze in terror as he felt Walcon pick him delicately. He couldn't fight him. He was losing a battle at staying awake.

Vegeta found himself being carried down one of the haunted corridors, past rooms that held the dead and tortured. His tail hung limp from his body as blood dripped down it. Vegeta wanted nothing more than to sleep, but upon entering the newest room he found himself wide awake.

It was darker than the previous room and held more gadgets of torture. It was smaller, too, and held long troughs or basins full of, what Vegeta could tell, some sort of liquid. The water, or whatever it once was, was sludge now. It looked like the color of rust with chunks of flesh, feces, and who knows what else. Vegeta squeaked with horror as he saw that corpses of the dead lay in the liquid sludge. Decomposing, they were. Skeletons, the recently deceased, bodies that were mutilated and left to rot all floated or half sunk in the troughs.

"I figured that before I took your soul, you should get cleaned up."

Quick gasps filled the room as hysteria had now taken hold of Vegeta. He found that he could move a bit freely now and his small, once white-gloved hand gripped the phantom beasts black cloak. Vegeta convulsed as his body shook. Walcon slowly made his way to one particularly nasty basin that held a disgusting corpse. The eyes were no longer in it as its face was halfway submersed in the rusty looking sludge. The skin was now rotted and a shade of gray with orange and red scabs. Vegeta could see the halfway decayed arm floating above the surface and the bone of the knee sticking up from the mess.

Vegeta screamed hysterically. He tore at the creature holding him and flailed. He foamed at the mouth and scratched at the thing's face. Walcon was surprised at the sudden strength his victim had and he yelled for Vulcher to come help. Instantly his minion appeared and both grabbed the boy. Vegeta screamed and kicked. He refused to go into that basin. He cried and scratched and flailed, trying to do anything to escape. His small fingers latched onto Vulcher's gray face and he become revolted as the skin easily pealed away and stuck his gloved hand.

"Please! PLEASE! Don't put me in there!"

But as much as he struggled, he found himself being lowered. He was forced down into the sludgy liquid and quickly threw up as the rancid taste of death entered his mouth. He thrashed and screamed as the two monsters held him in the basin. The reddish orange liquid splashed over the sides and Vegeta howled in terror as the corpse in the trough fell over near him. The crazed saiyajin could feel the bones and limbs of the rotted body against him and he grabbed onto his killers as hard as he could. The pain from his back, foot, and tail was ignored as pure, blind terror gripped the six-year-old child.

Vegeta's halfway skinless tail flew from underneath the sludge and gripped the side of the rusted trough. Walcon grabbed his head and tried to push him under. Vegeta rabidly swung at his two captors and gripped the edges of the watery grave.

"Feisty once we have here!" Vulcher sneered.

The smaller torturer, the one responsible for Gard's death punched the nails deeper into Vegeta's face. He let out a scream of pain and quickly found himself under the deadly slime. Still he thrashed and screamed as the foulest tastes entered his mouth. His tail flung through the air, its skinless tip slapping the side of the metal basin painfully. He was let up again and still he screamed. His frantic hands gripped Walcon's robes as he cried.

"PLEASE! I don't want to die! Get me out of here! PLEASE! PLEASE!"

The two shadow demons laughed at his pleas and gripped him tighter. Walcon's cold hand tightened around the saiyajin's narrow throat as Vulcher pushed his shoulders down, trying to force him under again. Through his exhaustion and pain, Vegeta fought still. He couldn't stand this torture. He couldn't stand being in a trough of decaying flesh and forced under like it was his grave. His small hands ripped through Walcon's cloak as he begged for his life.

"No! NNOO! Please! Not again! NO!"

Just as the murky liquid rose up to his chin he heard a familiar voice bellow out. The two torturers stopped as a terrified Vegeta clung to the side of the narrow trough, his tail flung over the opposite side closest to the demons. He didn't turn to look, but simply stared at the far wall, tears streaming from eyes and whimpers of terrors echoing throughout the room filled with death basins.

"Release the boy, now."

Walcon and Vulcher released their victim and straightened up, looking at the two that stood before them. Vegeta remained clinging to the edge of the trough shaking and chattering deliriously as the rotted corpse floated next to him.

The man in the saiyajin armor stood with his arms crossed over his chest. His long, green braided hair hung over one shoulder as he took in the place of death. He had never seen anything like this. It disgusted him. His fat pink partner, Dadoria, shuddered as his black eyes scanned the room. Frieza's henchman could see the shaking prince clinging to the side of the basin he was, not even looking at them. Small squeaks of terror and shudders echoed throughout the room. Whatever the creatures had done to him must have been awful if a little arrogant shit like him was reacting this way. Their eyes fell on his skinned tail that wrapped around the other edge of the trough and they eyed each other suspiciously.

"We will take the boy now and then you will have to answer to Lord Frieza," Zarbon explained calmly.

Whoever these people were, they were obviously powerful. Zarbon knew that the prince would never let his guard down and he knew that he was one of the most powerful fighters in Frieza's army. These creatures were a strange mystery and he knew that he and Dadoria had to be on their guard.

"I'm afraid that you will just have to tell this Frieza that he'll be leaving without his prized possession. The prince belongs to me now."

Walcon chuckled and leaned over to stroke Vegeta's sticky, bloody hair. The six-year-old let out a loud sob and clung to the side of the trough more. Tears ran down his face and only then, when Walcon had moved, did Frieza's men see the nails protruding from the saiyajin's cheek.

Zarbon crouched into a fighting position.

"If you want to do this the hard way then so be it," his accented voice snarled. "Your planet is going to be destroyed anyway!"

The shadow demons scowled at the threatening soldier and stared at him with shimmering eyes. Dadoria, too, prepared for a fight. The pairs of enemies glared at each other, each vibrating with energy. Just as Zarbon was about to launch himself, a delicate, feminine clearing of the throat was heard. Zarbon's copper eyes widened and he glanced behind him. Smirking he relaxed, as did Dadoria. The small figure stood behind them, his arms clasped behind his back and his black lips smirking. Frieza's red eyes scanned the room and fell on the bloodied, torn Vegeta. He scowled as his pet trembled.

"Am I to presume that Jhanis and Gard are dead?"

His answer was met with a high-pitched shudder from Vegeta as the young boy recalled what happened to them. Walcon glared at the horned headed tyrant. The shadow demon knew that he was no match for Frieza's strength or speed. The creature hated being shown up in front of his people and he absolutely hated what he claimed his to be taken from him, but he would have to leave for now.

Walcon turned to Vulcher and their dead cold eyes met. The taller monster turned a shining gaze on his trembling victim who still clung to the side of the basin, his eyes glazed as tears from down his face. Grinning, he turned back to Frieza.

"You can never destroy us. It is not possible. But alas, I shall leave for now, but be warned, emperor of the galaxies. I will have this boy in my collection and there will be nothing you can do to stop it."

Frieza's young features contorted into rage. His teeth clenched and he raised a small, rosy hand. "We shall see about that!"

Mesmerizing energy shot from the powerful lizard's hand into Walcon and then into Vulcher. With their strange moans they shrieked and vanished into thin air. The room became silent except for the strangled gasps coming from the filthy trough that held Vegeta. Frieza scowled and then turned quickly.

"Bring him to the ship. I will be blowing up this useless planet in ten minutes."

And with that the powerful leader turned on heel and walked away. Zarbon and Dadoria looked at each other.

"You do it, Zarbon. I'm not putting my hand in that mess!"

The turquoise-skinned warrior blanched. "No way am I fishing him out!"

The pink blob Dadoria growled angrily and walked over to the basin. He gagged as he came closer to the smell and the dead body accompanying Vegeta. He reached down with a shaking hand and then pulled away. It was like the boy was in a daze. He continued to stare at the far wall, shaking and shuddering the whole time. Dadoria could not touch him. It was bad enough he was a saiyajin, but here was a saiyajin covered in shit, blood, vomit, urine, and god knows what else. He straightened up and lifted his foot. He shoved the rusted basin over so the entire thing tipped and went crashing to the ground.

Vegeta went into hysterics, thinking he was going to be shoved under the awful sludge again. The rotting corpse landed next to him, its arm hanging over his side. His screeches of terror hurt his superiors' ears as he writhed on the floor. Zarbon stepped forward, holding his hand to his nose and gasped as he looked at the boy's condition.

There was a gaping hole in his back where blood and muscle tissue leaking from. He counted about five rusted nails sticking from the left side of his face as blood streaked from his ears, nose, eyes, and mouth. Two blackened scorch marks rested on the temples of his young face and his tail….gods, his tail was shredded. The bone stuck out from the top and bits of flesh hung loosely from it. Zarbon knew how sensitive a saiyajin's tail was, considering he was always giving the boy's a good yank from time to time. His copper eyes drifted down to his foot where he almost gagged. It was barely hanging to the leg. Muscle and sinew held it loosely as a bone splintered from under the skin. Vegeta needed medical help and fast. He glared at Dadoria as the fat idiot watched the saiyajin seizure.

"You dolt," Zarbon snarled as he carefully leaned down and picked up the dripping, slimy prince. He threw him over his shoulder, getting a scream in the ear as he did so. Then Vegeta fell back to his whimpering sobs. Zarbon had never seen anyone in this condition before, not even after his master was finished with someone.

"Well, I didn't want to touch the stuff!" Dadoria whined as the two henchmen left the stinking room.

……………

Vegeta's hazy eyes slowly opened as he gazed at his surroundings. Bright lights caused his head to pound, but he didn't care. He hoped that he had died before the creature sucked out his soul and he hoped that he was in the next life, safe from the shadow demon. He was startled as a pair of brown eyes appeared before his clouded vision. In confusion he blinked and turned his head to one side.

It came rushing back to him. Frieza had shown up. He remembered the basin he was in tipping and then nothing. Here he lay now on one of the clean, white tables in the medical room on Frieza's ship. His lip trembled and tears ran down his face. He was safe! Or as safe as one could be on Frieza's ship, but he was gone from the planet of terror. He felt a grubby hand wipe some tears from his cheeks.

"Now, now, Prince Vegeta," a raspy voice spoke. "Those tears are not good for the wounds on your face. Relax and I'll have these nails out in no time."

Vegeta's dark eyes opened and he looked down. Yes, he could still see the nails sticking out of the left side of his face. More tears flowed and he heard the doctor above him sigh. Vegeta wanted to know what happened. Where were they? What happened to the planet and the creatures? Was he really safe? He opened his mouth to say something but piercing pain shot through his head. He winced and let out a small moan.

"You probably have many questions," the doctor said as he poured some alcohol over a cotton ball.

Vegeta nodded slightly but even that hurt. His eyes looked over and he gazed out a small window that peered out of the medical bay. He stared in shock as he saw that the ship was still on ground and sitting on the glazed black and blue rocks. The bronze sky sent icy chills of fear through his spine. Before he knew it, he was bucking on the table and trying to sit up. Through clenched teeth he screamed and whined, trying to break free of the brow-skinned doctor's grasp.

"A little help here!"

A strong, tan hand grabbed Vegeta's wrists as he thrashed. His clouded eyes caught a glimpse of a fourteen-year-old Radditz and relief washed over him. The prince felt his eyelids droop and he allowed himself to be lowered back on the table. He saw that the usually white table had puddles of blood dripping off of it. His blood. More tears fell and he forced his jaw to open, though it was immensely painful.

"Why are we still here," his young voice pleaded.

"You've only been out for about two minutes since Zarbon brought you in," Radditz explained. "Frieza just wanted to clear a few things up first, explore the planet and species, and then we'll leave."

Radditz looked at his tired prince and felt a wave of pity hit him. His young friend's face that was so full of fire and arrogance was now terrified and defeated. For the first time since Radditz had known him, Vegeta actually looked like a normal six-year-old boy (well, an abused six-year-old boy, but a normal, non-threatening child to say the least). His eyes were rimmed with dried blood from some attack he wasn't sure of. He knew that the prince had been tortured and that made his blood boil greatly. He hoped these creatures fried for what they did.

Vegeta removed his gaze from the window and glanced down to see what the doctor was doing. In his hand was a large syringe that he was filling with some kid of liquid. Vegeta moaned and looked away.

"No more needles….no more pain."

The doctor ran a scaly hand through his orange Mohawk and smiled kindly. "This is just to help numb the pain. Unfortunately I cannot put you in a regeneration tank with nails in your face and your foot practically falling off."

Vegeta felt a wave of nausea at his carefully chosen words. Radditz rolled his eyes at the doctor's attempt at humor. The needle entered his leg right above his torn ankle and the small saiyajin flinched at the contact.

"But it will still hurt."

Vegeta whimpered as the doctor pulled out some thread-like material and a long needle.

"Can't you just put me to sleep or something? Don't you have anesthetics or some sleeping gas or something," Vegeta asked as he sniffled.

"Oh no," the doctor laughed. "If I put you under in this condition you may never wake up. You're a strong saiyajin, though, you can wait for the tanks."

Radditz stood and made his way to the door.

"Wait!" Vegeta cried, gasping at the pain in his face. "Radditz, where are you going?"

The older saiyajin turned around and gave him a quizzical look. "I thought that you would want to rest."

Vegeta shook his head quickly as the doctor inserted the needle and thread into his lower leg. He grimaced and took a few deep breaths. Normally he wouldn't be such a baby about it, but that liquid that Walcon had poured on him still made his body extremely sensitive. Every time a new stitch was made it sent painful stings up to his thigh. Radditz returned and sat in a chair by the little saiyajin's side. The longhaired warrior seemed to remember something and he reached into his front chest plate. He pulled out a pill and showed it to Vegeta.

"Lord Frieza wants you to start taking these."

Vegeta eyed them wearily. He couldn't tell what color it was through his red and gray-clouded vision and he blinked in confusion.

"What is it?"

"Well, it's a pill that will help you get over what happened today."

Vegeta looked at him and grew angry. His lip quivered and he started to cry again. Radditz's eyes widened at the unexpected reaction. He was glad that Nappa was not in med bay to see this.

"What's wrong Prince-"

"Nothing is going to make me forget this! It's not possible! They're going to be after me for the rest of my life! I can't escape! I CAN'T ESCAPE! I CAN'T-"

Radditz grabbed Vegeta roughly by the shoulders. He glared into the child's terrified eyes and he shook him, causing Vegeta to scream out in pain. The doctor growled angrily as he stitched Vegeta's foot and Radditz calmed himself, but he still held the hysterical prince by the shoulders.

"No one is after you! Once Frieza destroys this planet it's done! No more! Do understand? You can't go around talking like this! You can't start going crazy! Do you know what this means?"

Vegeta merely stared at the one he thought he trusted and cried. Radditz felt him trembling under his grip and he lowered his voice.

"Frieza is going to kill you if you can't get over this. He knew that something terrible was happening on this planet when you didn't answer your scouter. He knew that he shouldn't have let you go on this mission without more powerful warriors at your side, and he regretted it immediately after you left. You know that his ship is faster than space pods so we left a couple of days after you left. That's why we were only a day away."

_'A day?' _Vegeta thought. _'I had to have been here longer than a day. It felt like an eternity!'_

"Frieza knew of these creatures' powers and what they liked to do, but he was angry that you demanded to go off on your own so he let you, and then realized that it was a stupid mistake so we followed you. On the way here Frieza said that if you didn't recover from whatever happens to you he'll kill you. He'll kill you! That's why you need to take these pills. After a time, it'll just feel like a bad dream you can't forget. You'll be able to handle what happened and maybe someday start to block parts out. Frieza doesn't want a fighter who can't go on missions anymore and goes crazy with delusions of people following him, so it's so important that you take this pill."

Vegeta felt himself break down. More tears streamed down his face as a shaking hand reached for the thing that would help him forget: The pill that would prove he was crazy. Shame flooded him as he put it in his mouth and swallowed. It was like he was admitting to defeat and admitting that he couldn't handle anything in his life. Radditz peered at him and brought a finger to Vegeta's mouth. Gently, the older saiyajin opened the prince's jaws and made sure that the pill was gone. Vegeta coughed as his head throbbed from the motion, but he was quickly released and his teeth clenched back together.

"Alright!" The doctor said. "All done with that, now for the nails."

Moving his head back and forth, Vegeta's eyes opened again as the doctor stood over him wiping his blood-covered hands. The saiyajin's eyes kept watering as a dull ache pounded through his skull. His small hand reached up to gingerly touch his left cheek. The nails were gone, but he could feel the holes. He must have passed out from the pain. He drew his hand back and saw his white glove covered with blood. Glancing outside he was relieved to see the blackness of space.

"He still hasn't blown it yet," Radditz's voice said.

Vegeta peered at the bottom of the window and saw the black, rock planet. He glared at it bitterly as he saw a glow starting to burn outside the window. Frieza was preparing his energy to destroy the worthless piece of rock. The pink energy launched, causing the med room to become illuminated with shades of fuchsia and then the explosion was heard. Vegeta felt a wave of happiness bubble within him. It was over. The shadow demons were gone along with their awful planet. He felt his eyelids slipping as exhaustion hit him like a bag of bricks. The doctor began to wheel the table across the floor to the nearest rejuvenation chamber. Vegeta's triumphant eyes stared out into the black void of space the whole time. A smirk was about to appear on his young face as a piece of black rock floated in the distance, but instead his heart stopped.

A darkened figure crouched on the rock in the distance. Its black, wide brimmed hat blew in the non-existent wind. The black cape whipped around it, blending in with the dark space around it. Slowly, ever so slowly, the yellowed grin appeared as the creature of nightmares glared into the window and into Vegeta's soul. The purplish tongue licked its lips and then the creature shimmered and vanished. The terrified prince shook, his eyes rolled up in his head, and he passed out on the white table.

……………….

As Vegeta finished the story, Bulma let out a small squeak of terror, her hands to her mouth as she trembled. She saw Vegeta shake, too, but he was able to keep his composure. The entire story left her feeling sick. How could he have lived through that? How could this have happened to him? To Vegeta? Tears leaked from her blue eyes and she wrapped herself around him, shaking as badly as he was. The way he told it terrified her. It obviously terrified him to! Everything was in such fine detail. He described every sensation of horror exactly how it was.

"I thought it was real at first," Vegeta whispered as he stared at the wall as if it wasn't really there. "When I saw it out the window, I knew he was really there. But as I took the psychosis pill everyday until it became just a shadowy dream, I told myself that I had imagined it out of my terror. I truly believed that I had just hallucinated. But now I am proven wrong. I found out today that I really saw it sitting on that rock, grinning at me. And now…..now I'm done for."

TBC……

'_Yay for another finished chapter. Disgusting, yes I know. It's a horror story! What will Vegeta and his earth allies do now? Please read and review!'_


	4. Nightmare

'Hello, and thank you all for reviewing. And here I was thinking that I'd be getting no comments. Now, to go over a few concerns and other comments I have received. First off, don't worry about there being no super-saiyajins in this story. I mean, the last time I checked, Vegeta wasn't able to transform into a super-saiyajin at the age of six, and that's about as far as we've gotten here. There will be battles and saiyajin fights of course. Second, don't worry; he won't be a scared little coward the entire story. Trust me, I'd get bored with that, too. Him being constantly full of fear and angst would not be fun (I read Harry Potter book five, I know how it feels.) He shall be his usual self; I just had to get the flashback sequence first. Third, not every chapter will be like the last two. The blood, torture, gore, and extreme violence will not be present in every chapter…just many of them. So, please enjoy and don't be afraid to review.

Disclaimer: I own no DBZ or Vegeta, just a lot of movies and all the episodes. Akira Toriyama has full rights to everything that belongs in DB and DBZ.

Chapter 4

The sun was dipping as the nighttime made it entrance. The Z fighters had been lying around the downstairs living room watching TV for the past hour and fifteen minutes and they were getting restless. Yamcha tossed the remote to Krillen and stood from the warm couch.

"I'm tired of waiting," he said. "I'm going up there to see what's going on."

As he made his way past Piccolo who was leaning against the wall, he heard the large warrior clear his throat.

"I don't know if that would be wise. If they have been upstairs for this long, he is obviously telling Bulma what happened. We need her to get all the information she can get so we can figure out how to fight this creep."

Yamcha pouted and slowly returned to the couch. He was really curious about what they were doing up there. Even after all these years, he still got upset over the fact that Bulma and Vegeta were together. They could have been doing anything up in that room. He brought his feet up and sat angrily, only half watching the ridiculous soap opera on TV.

Bulma rubbed Vegeta's back as he trembled slightly. She, too, found herself shaken at the story. The imagery was so awful and disgusting, she felt like she had actually witnessed it. To be only six and have that happen must have been horrid.

"It was the only time I thought I'd die on a mission. I had close calls later on in my life, but nothing like this. I had actually feared death and felt true terror toward my enemy. It was the only time I had ever begged to live," he whispered shamefully as he lowered his head.

Bulma made a comforting noise and rested her head on his shoulder as they sat at the end of the bed.

"You were six, Vegeta. You hadn't dealt with nearly enough missions or experienced enough of life to know what was happening. I bet that not even full-grown warriors would have been sane after that. You said it yourself that Zarbon and Dadoria were shocked. Don't feel ashamed."

Vegeta felt his throat begin to tighten as tears threatened. No. He choked them down and lifted his head to stare at the wall ahead. Bulma sat up and took her head off his shoulder and embraced him. Stiffly, he allowed himself to be hugged but returned no embrace of his own. Bulma brushed some blue hair out of her eyes and sighed.

"I….I'm going to have to tell the others."

Vegeta snapped her a look of shocked anger. "Why would you do something like that?"

The woman before him scooted away and looked at him angrily. "Vegeta. They need to know what they're dealing with. Don't worry, I won't tell them about how you acted or felt. I'll just give the basic details of the mission and the monsters and-"

"No!" Vegeta said, standing up quickly. He thought that his shaking knees would give out but he remained in his usual pose. "They don't need to know. I'll deal with this on my own."

Bulma stood, too, shaking her head as his sudden arrogance returned to him. "Vegeta, you're terrified," she barked. "You don't need to act tough. We all know that you need our help and we're not going to just let you go off and get tortured by this….thing because your ego is too big!"

Vegeta's jaw clenched angrily and his fists tightened. What the hell did she know? He was older now; much older than he was when he first faced these monsters.

"Why did these creatures fear Frieza, then?" The clever prince sneered.

Bulma's blue eyes widened and she stared at him in confusion. "What?"

"Walcon," he paused as the name sent icy fear through him, but he shook it off. "Walcon knew that Frieza was stronger than he was. Hell, I was probably stronger, too, but I was caught off guard and I was a scared child. I don't think these demons are as strong as we think. They just have a different power than mine or the other fools. I'm quicker, stronger, and much smarter than I was before. I can take these things down."

Bulma felt her eyes water as fear overwhelmed her. Was he serious? Did he actually want to die? She didn't want any harm to come to him. She didn't want him dead, or worse, taken into the creature's mind forever, just because of his stupid ego. She ran forward and threw herself around him. He was surprised as he felt hot tears on his white shirt as she cried.

"We don't know enough about these creatures to ensure your safety or the safety of the others. I don't know if what you just said is true or not, but I don't want anything to happen to you. I couldn't stand it if….I couldn't stand it if you….."

The beautiful woman cried harder and squeezed her prince more. He looked down at the top of her blue head as she shook with tears. He hated it when she cried. He hated it even more when he was the one to make her bawl. Uncharacteristically he placed a hand on her head and sighed. She was worried about him and he would hate himself if he did something to get himself killed or hurt and make her sad.

"Fine," he muttered. He despised it when she won. "Go off and tell the others, but leave out all the details of my….experience. Just give them the facts they need to help."

Bulma lifted her red face from his chest and sniffled miserably. With still watery eyes she looked into his dark black ones. Mouthing the words "Thank you", she turned and exited the room. A wave of exhaustion hit Vegeta and he shook his head. Turning slowly he crawled back into the bed and pulled the covers over himself. The room was eerily quiet as it filled with a red light from the setting sun. He shivered as he remembered the creatures of his nightmares and he curled up under the blankets. For the first time in his life, he wished that he had company in his room to keep him safe from the monsters of a bad dream.

Bulma kept it short and simple as she retold the story. Well, as simple as she could when it came to retelling a tale of complete madness and horror. She couldn't help but describe the intense fear Vegeta had felt when he was a child. At the parts of disgusting torment, she received the expected gasps and shudders. When the story was over, the room fell silent. None of them could believe it happened, especially to Vegeta!

Gohan sat on his knees in the living room, holding a similar, disgusted expression that his father used to have when hearing stories like this. Krillen, Tien, and Yamcha stared at the floor as they thought over the events that had just occurred. Piccolo stood, as usual, in the corner with a stoic expression, but even Bulma could see the uneasiness on his green face. Through the silence, everyone could hear the busy road outside and Trunks's happy squeals as he played in the sandbox while Mrs. Briefs watched.

"So, what now?" Gohan asked.

They all looked at each other. No one had any idea what to do.

"Well," Yamcha spoke up nervously. "What if we run into this creature thing, and it becomes interested in one of us? I don't know about you guys, but I certainly don't want to be tortured and stapled to some wall or stuck in eternity in some sick monster's brain."

Bulma snapped in disgust at his coward ness. "You are such a damn baby! Trust me, if this monster takes one look at you he'll go home running. He doesn't want to absorb the stupid or wimpy!"

The room laughed as Yamcha grew red at Bulma's brash remark. The woman always had a way with words.

"How about this," Piccolo boomed, startling everyone. "I say we have one of us hanging around here at all times. We'll switch off and make sure there are no problems. That sounds reasonable. We'll think of a plan during this time."

Bulma thought about this and shrugged. "I don't know how keen Vegeta will be about that idea. He says that he doesn't want any help. Knowing that you guys are "babysitting" him won't sit well."

"Yeah," Tien jumped in. "And I don't really want to be watching Vegeta all day. I have better things to do. Besides, Chaotzu will be expecting me back at home."

Bulma's blue eyes narrowed dangerously as she glared at the three-eyed man before her. He blinked and brought up his hands defensively. Feeling Bulma's wrath was never fun and he didn't want the roof blown off when she decided to explode.

"Well then how about we just keep an eye on the house from a distance," Piccolo suggested. "Fly by once in a while and always keep our ki's tuned into Vegeta's."

The fighters nodded, agreeing to this idea. Yamcha saw this plan as a chance to see more of Bulma, though, even if she was always hanging around Vegeta.

"Well, how about I just stay here," the dopey human said. "I mean, Vegeta may not like it, but we can just tell him that my power went off at my apartment because I couldn't pay electrical bills. It happens all the time anyway, so he'll buy it."

Bulma rolled her eyes as everyone else let out exasperated sighs.

"You never give up, do you?" Krillen muttered.

Bulma shook her head and laughed. "Fine, stay here."

Her ex-boyfriend let out a whoop and jumped up excitedly. He always loved staying at Bulma's. Capsule Corp. was one of the coziest places to live, and plus, her mom was always cooking. It was the greatest food and hospitality.

The Z fighters decided that it was time to go home. As everyone cleared, Gohan remained.

"Bulma," he said seriously. "If there are any problems, please contact me as soon as possible. Remember, you guys can always stay at my house. I know my mom wouldn't be too pleased, but it's better that everyone is safe."

Bulma smiled at the handsome young boy and patted him on the head. "You are so much like your father. Thanks Gohan."

He smiled and bowed. Exiting the house, Bulma and Yamcha watched as he flew into the now darkened sky.

"He's a good kid," Yamcha said.

His stomach suddenly growled loudly and Bulma eyed him wearily. "Let me go get my mom."

Vegeta lay in his bed, tossing fitfully as unpleasant dreams drifted through his head. Sweat rolled down his face as he moaned and flipped about under the covers.

Gray hands, almost blackened as the skin hung loose around it, clutched his throat. He had been running in the strange dream, but his feet barely hovered above the ground and he was making no progress as his golden tipped boots barely scraped the concrete of the black, silent road. He had to keep running, though, or else IT would find him. Glancing around him, he saw nothing, and heard nothing but dead silence.

'Keep running,' he told himself, but he barely glided forward as he grew exhausted from the motions. He calmed himself and let his feet touch ground again. A large, four-storied building came into his view and towered over him. It was the same building that he had been in that day. A creeping feeling of dread took hold and all he could do was stare into the broken windows. He waited, knowing that something would have to appear. It felt like hours passed by, and nothing happened, but he knew. He knew that something was going to occur. Something dreadful. His brown eyes stared into the blackened night sky, as he watched the windows with extreme concentration.

He was spun around, a cold, dry hand around the back of his neck. The once silent environment was now exploding with noise. He couldn't see what was holding him, but his eyes were forced to stare at the dark windows of the building. The once blank, red building that was filled with silence was now alive. People screamed as they pressed bleeding faces to the glass. One body was trying to crawl out of a half-broken window, screaming in agony as the glass ripped through its stomach. Fists pounded on the glass, palms smacked the jagged panes as the tortured souls screamed for escape. He could see horrified faces pressed against the windows, masses of people trying to free themselves from the hell that resided in the building.

Vegeta still couldn't tear his eyes away as the bony fingers crushed the vertebrae along the back of his neck. He could feel himself shaking, could feel tears forming in his eyes as it all came rushing back to him. The bodies in the basin of shit, blood, urine, and death stared at him, the rusted nails plunged into his face, the smell of eminent death as Walcon stood over him grinning with yellow teeth. An intense shaking had taken over his body and he finally brought his eyes to his side. He whimpered in terror as two gleaming eyes stared into him. The same, coal-black, dead irises glared him. But the face, oh God, the face was different.

The gray-black skin hung from the face in strips. Vegeta could see the reddish, rotting flesh underneath. The clothes were even more stripped revealing similar emaciated flesh underneath. Bones stuck out from the rotted fingers and pierced the saiyajin's flesh. But, he couldn't defend himself. Fear froze him to the spot as the voices screamed from within the building and the dread locked creature gripped his neck tighter and tighter. Vegeta's eyes were wide with terror as the large, gaping mouth suddenly opened.

With two hands, Walcon gripped the sides of Vegeta's head painfully. He clenched his teeth and screamed in pain as blood flowed down his temples and dripped from his chin. He held the wrists of his attacker and writhed to get away, but the voices from the building were now shrieking so loud it began to hurt his ears. A maddening terror overtook him as the noise grew and the pain intensified.

He suddenly felt images of his life flash before his eyes as it had happened when Walcon read his thoughts when he was younger. He screamed in agony as his head throbbed and felt as if would rip apart. He convulsed and groaned as pictures from the moment he had left the cursed death planet and was back in Frieza's hands entered his head. He saw short glimpses of himself fighting and destroying other creatures and blowing up planets. He saw himself running through the halls on Frieza's base in fear, as he knew the evil tyrant was after him. He remembered the memory of Walcon and the shadow demons becoming distant memory as he popped pills and grew older. Vegeta whimpered in pain as streaks of aching energy forced his memories to resurface.

Flash! _He lay cowering on the floor of Frieza's private chambers at the age of ten, shaking and naked as blood leaked onto the clean floor and his lower regions throbbed with pain._

Flash! _The Ginyu Force stood over him kicking and punching him until all his bones broke and blood streamed from his body._

Flash! _Murder, rape, carnage, fear, anxiety, sadness, loneliness, anger, rage, revenge, death, insanity!_

Flash…._Kakerotto….smirking, ready for battle, super-saiyajin. _Flash-_ Namek, tears, defeat, agony, blood, pleading, death. _Flash- _Himself as a super-saiyajin. He crushes the fat android only to have his arm broken by a woman. _Flash- _His son is shot through the chest by a large green android….death, sadness, rage, defeat….Kakerotto, dead, Trunks, dead, Gohan…more powerful….himself…no more. _The last and final memory that clearly pierced his pounding head….Flash-_ Blue eyes, blue hair, the smell of flowery shampoo, a warming smile, a sweet embrace…happiness, tenderness, caring, support….lo-_

The shooting pain came to a halt and Vegeta practically hung from the decayed hands as he panted and trembled. Moans of pain constantly came from him as the long, chipped nails sank under the skin above his temples. Walcon's jagged teeth, like glass, stuck from his mouth as he grinned. The short saiyajin that hung from his clawed grip eyed him with intense fear that fed his ego even more. He moved his face closer and chuckled as his victim let out a quick whimper and then silenced himself. Those brown eyes full of terror never looked away, though as Walcon slowly brought his face closer and closer until his crooked, gray nose almost touched Vegeta's.

The prince gagged as the smell of death entered his nose. Why couldn't he wake up? This was a dream, he knew it was. Through the terror-filled cloud that hovered in his brain, he realized that the bodies in the windows of the red brick building had stopped screaming. One of his eyes peered past his tormenter's head and his stomach lurched, as the faces of terror were statue still. When they had stopped screaming he couldn't tell, but the frozen faces of the bloodied corpses in the window sent chills of icy dread down his spine. It just wasn't right. People were frozen with their hands against the broken glass, bodies cut in half as they were motionless on the shattered windows, and their mouths wide open as their screaming was stopped.

He felt himself suddenly feel sick to stomach as a blue light emitted out of Walcon's stinking mouth. His lips were inches away from Vegeta's and the saiyajin clamped his mouth closed. But, somehow the force of this pastel blue light was forcing its way into his mouth. In a panic, Vegeta's gloved hands pulled at the wrists of his pursuer. But they wouldn't budge. A solid grip held the rotted nails against his head and he felt himself gag as the force entered his mouth and slowly slid down his throat. He began to flail now. He tried to power up, but the same thing happened as when he tried to run away. There was nothing to bring forth. He couldn't bring forth any energy. He whined and twisted and began to flail as he tried to get away.

_'I'm a super-saiyajin and a thousand times more powerful than this bastard! Come on, Vegeta!'_

He tried to call forth his strength again but he had none. Walcon chuckled and tightened his grip so that the tips o his fingers slid under Vegeta's skin. Through the force in his mouth he groaned and tried to shake the deadly monster off of him.

_'Even though this may be your dream, I'm the one controlling it. I'm just giving you a taste of what is to come.'_

Vegeta's eyes widened even more as he felt something deep with him begin to pinch. It felt as if his intestine was slowly being stabbed. His small whimpers quickly became frantic, muffled screams as he writhed and thrashed. Blood slowly began to spill from his widened mouth as his inside felt as if they were being torn apart. His eyes watered and he screamed as his organs felt as if they were being smashed around inside of him. He tugged and twisted to get away, but there was nothing he could do. He told himself to wake up, but nothing occurred and the cold dead eyes of the demon shimmered with an insane glee.

And then he felt it. He went rigid in mind-numbing pain as he felt the blue power lifting out of him. He felt his senses begin to fade as his mind slowly shut down. He was doing it. Walcon was collecting what he had come for, the Prince of the Saiyajin's soul. A fiery rage overtook Vegeta and began to thrash and flail again. He screamed ferociously as he ripped flesh from Walcon's arms. For the first time since Vegeta had met this monster, he saw doubt in his eyes. Vegeta increased what little energy he had left and managed to pull one bloody hand from his head. The blue light was still trying to exit his body and the twisting and writhing was probably not helping matters, but Vegeta continued to fight back.

Walcon felt the saiyajin's increased strength. He cursed the monkey race for being so damn persistent to live and he tried to pull out quicker. He knew that it was only a dream and he could not steal Vegeta's soul in this state, but the prince didn't know that. If the stupid brute were able to figure out how to control his power within a dream, then Walcon would have to find other ways to torment the saiyajin. The shadow demon decided that it was best to leave before he found himself in big problems. The evil creature knew that Vegeta was more powerful than he, but he would get his way. He had plans to get this monkey and he always got what he wanted.

Vegeta felt himself slipping, but continued to struggle. His eyes drooped, but he still tore at the remaining hand that gripped his head and tried to rid himself of the light that would steal him away. He hardly noticed the tall, lanky creature suddenly bring his free hand back. The yellow nails shot from the bony, gray fingers and stabbed into the soft white sclera of Vegeta's left eye. The saiyajin screamed and twisted as pain engulfed him. The agony of his crushed organs within him and his now gushing eye caused him to sink to his knees. He didn't even notice Walcon release his hold and slowly walk away. Vegeta dropped onto his side, clutching his eyes as blood leaked down his glove. Blood poured from his mouth and he growled at the wicked creature through numbing pain. Walcon turned and glared at the small warrior before him.

"There is no escape, Saiyajin," he hissed, his voice low and scratchy as before. "I will return in time, and you will be mine."

…………….

Bulma and Yamcha had been sitting in the kitchen when they heard a ragged, terrified scream. They looked at each other for a moment and then gasped.

"VEGETA!"

Together they ran upstairs, practically tripping over each other as they heard a low moan and whimper come from Vegeta's room. Bulma threw the door open and jumped slightly as she swore she saw a large black shadow suddenly vanish in front of her eyes. She shook her head, telling herself that she was paranoid and it was only the curtains over the windows. The room was very dark, allowing only a bit of light to seep in, but she could see Vegeta thrashing in his bed. Yamcha clicked the lights on and Bulma gasped.

Sweat poured down his face as he gasped and twisted in the blankets. He wasn't wearing gloves and she could see blood all over his hands from him clenching and breaking his own skin. He was holding onto the thin covers that he was tangled in and they were torn from the force of his terror. He kept moaning and whimpering and mouthing silently as he gasped for air. He let out another ear splitting scream and convulsed in his bed.

"Y-Yamcha," was all she could say as she slowly approached the bed.

His strong hand grabbed her and held her back. "Don't get too close, Bulma," he warned. "He's not in a good state. He could hurt you when he wakes up."

Bulma felt tears spring to her eyes as Vegeta let out a weak sob and flipped wildly in the bed. The blood streaking the sheets tore her heart apart and she sniffled as she felt herself begin to cry. Yamcha patted her back and approached the bed. He quickly grabbed Vegeta's shoulders and forced down into the mattress. The sleeping saiyajin froze and his eyebrows lowered. Bulma and Yamcha breathed a sigh of relief that was quickly cut short as Vegeta screamed again and began to lash out. Yamcha ducked his head as Vegeta's fist barely missed him. Tears leaked from the corners of his eyes as he let out a choked sob.

"Please! Please! Don't put me in there!" He cried. "Please!"

His bleeding hands came up and tightened around Yamcha's arms. The human's stomach sank, as they progressively got tighter. Through his sleep, Yamcha could see a desperate pleading expression take place on Vegeta's face. The small saiyajn convulsed and squeezed Yamcha's arms until they began to turn numb.

"Please….please…" he spoke quietly. Then he screamed wildly, an ear splitting shriek that neither human had ever heard Vegeta make. He chattered with fear and tore at Yamcha's arms. He had had enough. Yamcha shook the prince roughly and yelled at him to wake up. But this seemed to worsen the matters. Vegeta's head tossed and he sobbed into the side of his pillow as Yamcha pushed him further down into the mattress.

"Please! PLEASE! HELP ME! HELP ME! Don't put me in there! I want to live! No! NNOOO!"

The pain in his arms was terrible. Yamcha tore one arm out of Vegeta's grasp and did the only thing he could think of. Powering up quickly the human slammed one fist into the side of the delirious saiyajin's face. He heard Bulma give a startled whimper, but she did nothing. Yamcha looked down and saw Vegeta flip onto his side and clutch his nose as blood leaked between his fingers. His whole body shook as his angry eyes drifted toward the man that hit him. Yamcha gave him a comically scared expression and back away.

"Y-you almost ripped my arms off."

Vegeta's sly eyes gazed over and saw the bruises and scratches on the dumb weakling's arms. He then looked up and saw Bulma holding her hands to her mouth as she cried. His eyes widened and he sat up and scanned the room. A sudden panic gripped him and he practically shook the bed as he trembled.

"He's here," he stammered. "He's here, he's here, he's here. He came into my dream. He almost took it. He almost took me away to that place. He almost took my soul. He…he….HE'S HERE! HE'S HERE! HE'S NOT GOING TO LEAVE! HE'S-"

Bulma ran forward and took Vegeta's face into her hands. "No one is here! You had dream! It was nightmare and that's all! No one is going to get you Vegeta. We will all make sure to that!"

Vegeta stared into the sapphire blue eyes and shook his head. The panic was not going away. She was lying. She didn't know. He slowly grabbed her upper arms as he did with Yamcha. The protective ex-boyfriend quickly walked closer, but Bulma looked at him and shook her head slightly. Vegeta was staring into her like madman. He gave out a small laugh and shook with fear.

"He can enter dreams. He came into my head. He almost had me. I can't win…I can't fight him."

Bulma looked directly into his eyes and shook the head in between her hands.

"Vegeta. You are going to be ok. You are the prince of all Saiyajins. Would it be becoming to show all this fear to your people? He can't get you in your dreams. No one has that power. You have been through a horrible ordeal and you need rest. No one is going to leave you and no one is going to let anything happen to you. We need you to calm down and realize that it was just a dream. Look at yourself. You have no injuries or wounds from the dream. It isn't real. It didn't happen."

The saiyajin cocked his head to the side and gazed at his hands wrapped around Bulma's arms. He shook himself out of his funk and thought about what she said. He felt his senses return to him and his panic died down slightly. His pounding heart slowed and he took a few deep breaths and released the blue haired scientist. He saw the bloody streaks on her arms form his cut hands and a wave of shame flooded him. Bulma saw his flushed features and sat on the side of the bed. She glanced at Yamcha.

"You know where the extra bedroom is," she said softly. "Make yourself at home."

Yamcha smirked slightly and walked from the room, closing the door as he did. Bulma turned back to the shivering prince and saw his head bowed in shame. She sat so she was facing him and ran a finger down his cheek.

"We all get scared sometimes, even great warriors."

Vegeta let out a rush of air and turned his face away from her. He scowled as he sat in the bed and shook slightly. He didn't say anything but just looked out the window into the darkened sky.

"Must have been one heck of a dream," she said lightly.

Vegeta opened his mouth to say something, but then remained silent. He still looked exhausted, but Bulma feared that he might not be able to sleep after this experience. She hoped that he wouldn't become a sleep-deprived zombie and get sick from becoming an insomniac. He still trembled, but he had regained his usual stoic, blank expression.

"Bulma," he finally said. "Will you…do…"

She looked at him and smiled, encouraging him to speak. His dark eyes met hers and he sighed. "Will you sleep with me tonight. I mean, just sleep. I don't…..I don't want to be alone."

The blue haired beauty smiled sweetly and hugged her prince. "Of course. Just don't hit me in the middle of the night."

………..

The two partners lay in the bed after Bulma changed the sheets and bandaged Vegeta's hands. He complained that he didn't need the treatment, that he was a saiyajin and some simple scrapes on his palms would do nothing, but Bulma argued back that the small cuts could get infected. It felt good to both of them to argue like they usually did. Again, Bulma found how unusual their relationship was and she merely laughed and snuggled up next to her warm prince.

Before she had gone to bed, Bulma made sure that Trunks was fast asleep. He lay in his bed sucking his thumb and looking as sweet as ever with the mop of purple hair sticking up from the covers. She laid next to Vegeta and fell quickly asleep. This, however, was not so easy for him.

He lay on his back, his head propped up against a pillow as he stared into the darkness. His eyes rested on the doorknob of the bathroom door as his mind raced. He feared going back to sleep, worrying that he might experience another chilling dream. It felt so real! He felt frustrated that HE would be one to be scared of dreams. But as he lay there and thought about it, he had always feared his dreams. They carried nothing but horrid memories of the past. He always felt the terror and fear and humiliation as he lived a life of shit with Frieza. He always had nightmares about the cruel tyrant and his henchmen pushing him around and having their way with them. It was so stupid and shameful that the prince of the saiyajins should fear his own deranged thoughts.

And now there was this problem. He felt like a pitiful weak woman every time he thought about these demons and their dead, rotting skin. Every time he saw the corpses in one of his memories or dreams, he thought he would be sick. It was absurd that a super-saiyajin would turn into a frightened child every time he saw or thought of a shadow demon. But what had Bulma said? That word…that description: Traumatized. She explained it to him after he told the story. When young children experience a horrible event, a number of things could happen. She said that he was a perfect example. Years of beating and torment from Frieza and this nightmarish occurrence at the age of six was more than likely the answer to how he acted. Killing, rage, no social graces, unexplainable fear, power-hungry.

So he had a phobia. She also explained that word and he was none to pleased. He learned that it was almost impossible to cure phobias. She explained Kakerotto's absurd fear of needles. She said that this experience as a child traumatized him and that was why he had so much difficulty with this problem than any others he had to experience. He quietly scoffed at the idea of not being able to jump over this fear. He had done it with so many other experiences in his life, why not this one? He was too young, she had said. At the age of six, to have this torture happen….she was surprised he wasn't _completely_ insane.

His eyes felt like they were blazing a hole through the bathroom door as he lay there and thought. He was comfortable and zoned out. Having Bulma snuggled next to him was good. He felt quite comforted as she curled up next to him. He smiled slightly as he moved his gaze to look at her. He turned to watch her sleep in the shadowy darkness. How lovely she was. He had never really told her that he saw her as a beautiful—

Someone stood in the corner of the room.

As Vegeta's eyes had turned to look at his beautiful mate, he must not have noticed it. It had blended in with the darkness. His body was frozen as he just stared into the darkness, not blinking. There was no movement and he found it absurd how he just continued to stare. His heart was hammering so hard in his chest he thought it might burst out. He couldn't even tremble as he stared at the black shadow against the wall.

_'It's you imagination, you fool!' _His voice screamed at him. _'Just look away and when you look up again, it will be gone.'_

With much will power and his fighting instincts telling him to not take his eyes off the enemy, he forced his head to lower and look at his balled fists. Slowly he looked up again.

It towered right over the edge of the bed. No face could be seen. There was no hat and no details on the beast, but Vegeta could hear it…..he could smell it. His heart was pounding so loud now that his eardrums shook, but he felt a strange calmness, too. He knew it was his imagination. Even though it stood at the very edge of his bed and looked down at the two. Bulma still lay peacefully asleep and still the creature of darkness did not move. Vegeta couldn't tear his eyes away, though. He could hear a faint rattling of breath coming from underneath the black clothes. A small pained moan escaped the monster and Vegeta's eyes widened. He definitely remembered that sound. He expected the room to suddenly fill with the same creature that stood before him, but nothing happened. It just stood over him, emitting the strange noises and awful stench of death.

Without moving anything except his arm, Vegeta gave a sharp poke to Bulma's side. She woke from a snore and turned over onto her side. He didn't look at her, nor did his adversary move. He had to be dreaming this. He felt Bulma stir next to him and she gave a sleepy moan.

"What is it, Vegeta?"

He continued to stare at the creature that stood like a mountain over their bed. A cold panicky anxiety clutched his heart. He just needed Bulma to look up and tell him that she saw nothing. Just look up, and say "What? You woke me up to stare at a blank wall?" But unfortunately, he heard a sharp gasp and quick breathing from his lover. He still didn't look at her. He knew then…he knew that they were in deep shit.

Bulma clutched Vegeta's arm as a gargantuan black figure stood at the very edge of the bed. She trembled, her body shaking like leaf against Vegeta's stiff form. She looked up in terror and saw her mate's still, frozen face. He held the same blank expression, but his eyes were live with fear. His hand carefully snaked around her waist and before she knew it, the two were bursting through the door and out into the hallway. Vegeta made his way down the stairs in a blind panic, leaving the room that held the nightmarish creature.

"Wait! Yamcha! My mom, Dad, TRUNKS!"

Vegeta skidded to a halt just as he was about to reach the door. He looked at Bulma and hesitated as he thought. He growled angrily and tossed the woman to the floor.

"You wait right here by the door!" He barked. "I'll get your precious Yamcha and everyone else."

She wanted to tell him to wait so they could make a better plan, but he was already flying back up the stairs. She thought angrily to herself about how the saiyajin was almost in tears from a nightmare, yet now he could suddenly fly off into the dark where the creature actually lurked. She cowered next to the door, shivering, as she hoped he could find everyone all right.

Vegeta quickly flew down the darkened hall, an anxious fear gnawing at his insides as a creature of nightmares lurked in the shadows. He kicked Yamcha's door open and turned on the light. The idiot was flung across his bed, snoring loudly. Vegeta took a deep breath.

"Hey dumbass!" He yelled, startling the fool. "Get out of bed and go meet Bulma at the front door."

"Wha….what?"

Vegeta turned away. "They're here, so if you don't want your heart ripped out I suggest you get the fuck out of here."

With a panicked yelp Yamcha flew from the room and down the stairs. Vegeta "hmphed" and made his way down the spiraling corridors to Trunks's room. Everything was so dark and the eerie humming of the electricity running through the halls made him uneasy. He was glad that some of confidence returned to him, though. He felt safer with the creature being in the real world than in his dreams. He was in control of himself in reality as opposed to his fucked up dreams. He would only need to power up a bit to scare away the boogey man that was after him.

But even as he ran down the darkened hallways, the mere image of Walcon or one of the other Shadow Demon sent waves of icy fear into him. He reached Trunks's door and burst in. Snatching up the slumbering child he rushed from the room and flew down to Bulma's parent's room. He growled angrily, knowing that they roomed at the opposite end of the compound by the dinosaur and animal sanctuary. Damn fools.

"What's happening, Daddy?" Trunks asked groggily.

"Nothing to be worried about, boy," he said as he sprinted down the hall.

Through the winding halls they went until Vegeta reached the large room where the Briefs slept. Vegeta kicked the door down and poked his head into the room. The purple-haired father and blonde mother slept peacefully.

"Hey!" He yelled, earning the same reaction Yamcha had. "Get up and get out of the house right now!"

"I say," Dr. Briefs said as he adjusted his glasses. "What's going on, Vegeta?"

The prince hated being questioned. He growled angrily. "Get up and get out of the house or I'll throw you out!"

The two hurriedly put on their slippers and made their way over to Vegeta. He turned his back on them.

"Grab my shirt and hold on."

They did as he said and soon the saiyajin was sprinting down the hall with three others clinging to him. With fierce determination he sped off, back toward the front of the house. He heard Mrs. Briefs giggling stupidly as she enjoyed the ride. Reaching the stairs, Vegeta leapt down and landed. Bulma and Yamcha looked at everyone with great relief and Bulma ran to hug her parents. She quickly told them that it wasn't safe in the house and explained that they should leave and find a hotel to stay. Going outside, the fighters watched as the Briefs took young Trunks and hopped into one of the large flying capsule ships. They waved merrily, never being fazed by the strange events, and blasted off into the night sky.

"Now what?" Yamcha asked.

Bulma looked back at the yellow roofed compound and shuttered. "I have no idea."

Vegeta stood away from them with his arms crossed. He certainly didn't want to go back into the house, but he knew that the humans would probably not want to stay outside and sleep under the stars. He sighed and turned to look at them. He was about to say something, when suddenly the yard was filled with agonizing groans. Yamcha and Bulma looked around frantically, trying to place it.

It sounded as if someone was in serious pain. Various sounds of moans and groans resonated throughout the dark lawn and the three people looked around wildly. Vegeta's heart raced as he whipped his head back and forth, looking for the source. The sounds were awful, like someone who needed to be out of his misery. And then he heard it. The rattle. The deep rattle of the throat that Walcon had made. He stood frozen on the spot in a fighting stance he couldn't break.

"Vegeta?" Bulma hissed. But the saiyajin didn't move, or else, he couldn't. He was frozen stiff, not moving at all. Yamcha tensed. Neither fighter could sense any energy or ki coming from the area.

_'They can't be dead….can they?'_ Yamcha wondered.

The yard seemed to darken suddenly as shadows began to rise from the ground. All around them they were surrounded as creatures emerged from the darkness, all of them groaning as if in pain. Bulma whimpered and fell on her butt as the smell of dead flesh hit her. She looked and saw Vegeta, still stiff and staring ahead. Yamcha stood in a fighting position and shook as the monsters surrounded them. Bulma felt tears in her eyes and her heart race as the creatures around them rattled strangely and moaned.

They were going to die.

_ Yay! Done with Chapter 4! Yes, I know, more fear and angst and drama, but trust me, it'll get better. There will be fighting and battles and super-saiyajins….but just not yet. I hadn't meant to make the chapter this long, but I hope it was scary enough! Please let me know what you thought and I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible. Thanks! _


	5. Fight

Disclaimer: AkiraDBZ. Vegetachik7obsessive fan. You can see that I own nothing except this story. Please read and enjoy!

Chapter 5

Yamcha and Vegeta tensed as Bulma fell to her knees. There were at least twenty-five or so of the awful creatures, all groaning and rattling deep in their throats. The three people in the middle of the yard scanned their surroundings as shadows of towering beings encircled them. The fence around the front yard added to the spectacle of being caged animals.

Normally, Vegeta would have felt his saiyajin adrenaline for a good fight rushing, but as he stood, surrounded by creatures of death, he felt nothing but a hopeless dread. Had these been any other enemy he would have flaunted his strength and shown no fear. But not now. Images of his past invaded his mind, sending chills of weakness and fear up his spine. Deep down he knew he was more powerful than these monsters. He knew that he could avoid being taken by them, but as Bulma explained, he was traumatized. He had a phobia toward these torturous demons that he couldn't shake.

How long they could hold them off was unknown. Vegeta hadn't really gotten a chance to fight the monsters when he was younger and he was too stricken with fear to have noticed any strange weaknesses. He told himself to build up his courage. Every enemy had a weakness. He'd fought Cell, a creature who nothing but strange power and he came out unscathed…well, for the most part. The saiyajin noticed his knees shaking and he scowled at his weakness, but thanked the night for hiding the fear.

Yamcha stood by Bulma as Vegeta stood further off. The taller human turned slightly to give his ally at the moment a side gaze.

"Any plan?"

Vegeta remained silent and looked around. Past the fence was a short driveway that held Bulma's flashy red Capsule Convertible. The black hood was up, but Vegeta could see the red of the car shimmering in the light from the streets.

Mentally, Vegeta replied, _'See Bulma's car over there? Well, we make a run for that. Expect a battle, but be aware of their strange techniques. They are able to make themselves translucent and spirit-like, so your fist can go right through them. Move as quickly as you can and attack fast. I think that they are not that powerful and can be caught off guard easily. Just don't get caught off guard yourself.'_

Vegeta felt Yamcha acknowledge him and the two stiffened and crouched low. Vegeta pushed down some of his fear as he prepared to attack the creatures that had haunted his dreams for so long. With much effort, he brought forth his will to fight from deep down and began to power up. He heard an echo of chuckles as Yamcha followed suit. Bulma looked at the two men nervously, but remained silent and sitting as they continued to glow.

With a nauseous fear Vegeta pushed off the ground and flew toward the nearest shadow demons. Any second he expected a metal clamp to fasten around his ankle or Walcon to appear before him and strike him down, but his dark eyes widened as his hand connected with side of a rotted face. The demons around him hissed angrily and disappeared, then re-appeared closer to the lanky, taller demon that had a black scarf tied around his mouth.

Vegeta landed and stood tall, facing the creatures as he smirked his usual smirk. He felt his fear subsiding and his legs stop shaking as his princely ego returned. These monsters were not as tough as they were when he was younger. How foolish he was to fear such slow, ungraceful beings. Through the dark, Vegeta could see the crowd of shadowed figures he'd just attacked cluster around the taller figure. A gnawing uneasiness ate at his gut as a cold, evil presence lurked around this creep. Vegeta knew who this was.

"I think it's time to finish this whole thing," Vegeta sneered. The monsters rattled angrily.

The taller figure's shoulders shook as it chuckled. "Your speed has increased greatly, boy, as has your strength," Walcon's voice hissed. "But that still won't save you."

Vegeta's eye twitched suspiciously. He wondered why he had ever feared such a being. Sure it was insane and disgusting, but so were many others that the saiyajin had encountered in his life. He would not let Walcon or any of the others take him. One of his large blasts could take them down easily.

"And why is that?" Vegeta replied arrogantly.

Walcon chuckled, his voice coming out muffled under the scarf. He no longer wore the hat and now had dreads down to his shoulders as opposed to just at his chin when Vegeta had first met him.

"Think about it!" Walcon laughed. "I had just explained it to you earlier. What can you do when I….invade your dreams?"

An icy numbness spread over his body and he froze. He heard Bulma gasp and Yamcha growl angrily. So it had happened. The creature had entered his head.

"I can follow you in your sleep, make you sleep walk right into my hands, steal your soul while you doze. How does that sound? And even better, if you try to fight us, we can't be killed. It just doesn't work that way. You may be quicker and stronger than us, but we are made up of different stuff, Saiyajin! You'll never win. You'll never make it out alive. You may be able to escape time after time after time, but you will slip up. One mistake during a battle, one slip up during a fight, and we can merely appear behind without you knowing and….well, use your imagination."

The images of fear and torture entered his head and he shook with anger. The icy fear had taken over his mind like a fever and he felt his energy rise. He belonged to no one! He wasn't just going to stand there and cower in terror!

The yard lit up brightly as the golden glow overtook the saiyajin prince. His once brown eyes that had been staring into the grass now lifted as a shimmering green took over his iris. The black hair quickly turned gold as yellow light engulfed him. Power and strength coursed through him as his energy caused his white shirt to flap wildly. Yamcha too powered up, creating a reddish glow around himself.

Bulma watched as her lover glowed with a magnificent golden light, lighting his handsome features even more. She looked forward at the villains before her and gasped. With the new light added to her yard, she could see the disgusting rotted gray flesh hanging from their faces and the blackened rags that the creatures wore. She assumed that the tallest one was the Walcon character. His coal-gray eyes shimmered malevolently as Vegeta's glow danced in his irises. An old, dusty black scarf was wrapped around the lower part of its face, but she could see the rotted flesh underneath. A large black cloak engulfed him as he stood, glaring at Vegeta.

With an outraged cry, Vegeta flew straight forward, so fast that Bulma couldn't even see him take a step. Her blue eyes widened as she heard flesh hit flesh and saw Walcon go flying back. But even as he flew through the air, he slowly faded and disappeared. The followers of their tall leader groaned strangely and also faded and disappeared. Vegeta landed on the soft grass with just white socks on and turned to the other two. He didn't have his usual smirk. An icy, cold gaze came from the green eyes and he turned to the driveway.

"Lets go," he said as he proceeded to make his way to the car, still in super-saiyajin form.

He felt like he was on needles. Any noise or quick action made him jumpy. He heard the two follow behind him as they walked toward the white fence that surrounded the yard. They almost reached the small door when a quick rattled breathing hissed in his ear. He leapt back to see that he was face to face with one of the shadow demons. It was about his height and had a Mohawk of greenish, gray hair. Its jaw hung low as grayish drool hung from its mouth. It swayed and moved forward slowly, moaning miserably, sending waves of uneasy fear through the saiyajin. Bulma whimpered and clung to Yamcha's arm as the three of them slowly moved backwards as it motioned toward them. The actions of this particular demon were unnerving. It strangely threw itself forward, emitting moans of unusual pain as it staggered toward them.

Vegeta growled at the horrid monster and flung himself forward. He gasped as his arm shot through it. Quickly pulling back he shot a few blasts at it only to have his energy fly right through it and collide with grass in the lawn. Yamcha shook Bulma off gently and stepped next to Vegeta. He didn't want to be anywhere near the nightmarish thing, but he couldn't just let Vegeta fight on his own. Besides, Bulma was watching and he couldn't act like a wimp.

Together the two warriors attacked the drooling moaning beast only to have their kicks and fists fly right through it. The unusual monster acted as though nothing was happening. Like in a dazed dream, it simply glided forward transparently as two powerful fighters tried to inflict pain.

Just as Yamcha leapt back and prepared to launch in again, a firm grip held the back of his shirt. He quickly looked over his shoulder and gasped. A taller creature had his rotted clawed hand wrapped around his shirt as it smiled a yellow toothy grin. He grimaced as the stench of death hit him and he tried to pull away. He was shocked to feel its strength in the rotted grip and he formed an energy ball in his hand. Blue light illuminated the creature's face as he chucked the energy into the stomach of the beast. He watched in cold silence as it simply flew through it. Somehow, the monsters could remain solid with certain parts of their body, but allow other areas to stay ghostly non-existent. He twisted his body around so he could place his hands around the wrists of his attacker. He squirmed and jerked at the dry, cold appendages, but they wouldn't budge. The yellowed grin widened and the creature brought his face close to Yamcha's. The human gagged as the stench sickened him. He needed to get free!

Vegeta still kicked and punched at the creature that dreamily walked forward, making its way toward a cowering Bulma. He hopped in front of his woman and repeatedly fired at the freak. He growled in frustration as it simply kept staggering toward them. His keen green eyes glanced at Yamcha and saw him struggling to get away from his captor. He wondered how the hell these beasts operated as he noticed its strength as it held the human. Sure Yamcha was one of the weakest earth fighters, but he should have still been able to get away. Unless, somehow, these monsters had been able to get more powerful?

He was shaken from his thoughts as Bulma's scream entered his head. He turned and saw three figures surround her. He brought forth more power and in a flash shot toward the bastards. With a powerful punch he swiftly moved among them and sent two of them flying. As they shot out of the yard, they slowly faded and disappeared. The other was quick enough to turn on his ghostly protector and avoid a hit from the enraged saiyajin. Vegeta yelled in frustration and wildly threw his energy out, hoping to send any nearby creatures flying, but the wind swept through the beasts.

Yamcha cried out as yellow teeth suddenly sank into his cheek. His feet were lifted off the ground and his hands ripped at the arms that were now around his throat. With extreme disgust he groaned as he felt the rotted gray flesh slide under his fingernails. He flailed and kicked out, but the creature had amazing strength! The dead hands would not budge. Warm blood leaked down his face and he yelled through clenched teeth as the monster licked at the red liquid.

"Yamcha!" Bulma cried up.

Vegeta looked up quickly, his blonde hair whipping in the wind and he silently fazed out. He approached the unsuspecting demon and struck out, hoping that its defense mechanism wasn't on. He grinned as his fist connected with Yamcha's attacker. It released the human as it head spun around with a sickening snap. The creature let out a shrill cry and faded away into the night. Yamcha lay on the ground gasping and massaging his neck.

"Thanks."

Vegeta looked down at him and sighed. Bulma let out a horrified scream as two of the demons grabbed her. Vegeta looked up immediately and froze as they held her. The same drooling creature that had approached them before and the one that had avoided Vegeta's attack held her. An insane fury swept through him and he let out a ferocious yell. As he pushed off the ground, leaving a small crater behind him, he blasted off at the offending beasts. A wild fire blazed in Vegeta's icy green eyes and he flew at the two smirking monsters. In a maddening rage he flew right through them and skidded across the grass. He turned around quickly and attempted the same attack, but to no avail. He stood before the two rotted corpses and shook with barely contained rage. He looked up into the blackened sky and twitched with anger.

"You're after me! Not her…not any of the others!"

The yard was silent except for Bulma's whimpers. Vegeta looked into her scared blue eyes that were shimmering with tears. A wave of guilt hit him. He refused to let them hurt her. He didn't know what he'd do if she received some awful torture due to his lack of courage and strength. Seeing her with such terror sent him into a rage of defeat. His eyes widened as he heard a familiar chuckling behind him. He closed his eyes as the sound of feet made their way up to his back.

"Is that so?" Walcon mused. He placed a dead, gray hand on Vegeta's shoulder and the saiyajin tensed. Walcon felt him shudder under the touch. "What makes you think that? What if we are interested in the others?"

Vegeta's eyes opened and narrowed with rage. He looked at the rotted hand with yellow nails and clenched his teeth. Walcon grinned and looked at Bulma who stood in terror as his henchmen held her arms.

"Taste her."

"What? No!" Vegeta tried to run forward but the strong grip on his shoulder suddenly tightened and he found himself shoved into the wet grass. He struggled to free himself but soon became a screaming mess as a jagged metal weapon with a shattered end plunged into his right kidney. As soon as it slid into his muscle a charge of electricity coursed through his body. He screamed and flailed as his body shook in pain. But as soon as it started, it stopped and left him completely drained. His yellow hair slowly faded and returned to the velvety black. His eyes closed and slowly re-opened as his brilliant green irises turned back to the deep, dark brown. His body jerked out of control as blood leaked from the wound the side of his back.

"Vegeta," Bulma moaned.

The drooling, smaller troll leaned in and slowly pressed his chapped, gray lips against the base of her slender neck. Vegeta began to growl like an animal possessed and tried to move forward, but Walcon knelt his bony knee into the middle of his back. From behind him, Vegeta could hear Yamcha get up and fly toward the two beasts, but Walcon quickly threw out snaky waves of black energy that wrapped themselves around the unsuspecting human. He fell to the grass with an "oof" and lay there trying to free himself.

Vegeta watched, his vision turning bleary as yellow teeth sank into his mate's neck. She screamed in pain and thrashed trying to escape, but they held her tightly. Quickly, the drooling monster drew back and wiped his mouth. He looked slightly disgusted and disappointed and gazed at Walcon as he crouched over the fallen saiyajin. Bulma whimpered as a small trail of blood ran down her neck. A blinding rage came over Vegeta and he struggled to get to her, but the motions caused exhaustion and his vision blurred.

"No good?" Walcon asked in a pout.

The creature that had bitten her returned with a similar pout and shook his head. "Too dull, too bland."

Vegeta felt Walcon chuckle and he held in a pained moan as the beast leaned forward, digging his bony knee deeper into the soft flesh on Vegeta's back.

"Hear that? I'll admit, when I tore apart those humans in that factory, they were not delectable. They were not good at all, in fact. Now Saiayjin blood…." A long finger traced Vegeta's jaw line and he jerked away. "But I may still want to have some fun with her and your other little friend here. A good screaming session sounds like real fun."

"No!" Vegeta began to thrash and squirm to get away, but found his face pushed roughly into the dirt, barely giving him any air.

"Calm, calm," Walcon hissed, enjoying Vegeta's muffled growls. "Now, if you come willingly, without a fight, I shall leave all your little friends in peace. If you fight and continue to annoy me, then your little friends will be joining us and making nice decorations on my wall. What do you say?"

With his face pressed into the suffocating ground, Vegeta gasped. Give in willingly? The mere thought of going anywhere with this monster was a mind-numbing idea. He found his body begin to tremble as memories of the past resurfaced. He couldn't even think of the horror and fear he felt at the idea of leaving with these demons and being trapped in his mind forever. A wave of nausea hit him and he felt a lump rise in his throat. He couldn't let Bulma be killed, though. He couldn't let her be tortured and experience what he had. It wasn't fair! But, he could never forgive himself if she got hurt in any way due to his selfishness.

"Vegeta!" Bulma screamed across the yard. "Fight him! Don't worry about us!"

Yamcha's jaw dropped as he struggled against the black vines that still wrapped him. "Wait a second, Bulma. Lets think about this!"

The blue haired scientist growled at the weak human. She knew that they could get out this. Things always worked out, but the thought of torture did terrify her. She could always be wished back, though. If they managed to escape, they could get the others to help protect Vegeta. If they failed right here, then it was all over, but it was a chance she was willing to take. She couldn't just let her love give up and allow himself to be tortured and trapped within this monster's mind forever because he wanted to protect her.

Walcon tightened his grip on the back of Vegeta's head and pressed his face in deeper until he could not breath at all.

"Well?"

A muffled response rose from the grass and he lifted his hand, pulling Vegeta's head up by his hair.

"What was that?"

Vegeta's swallowed and trembled. He moved his mouth and Walcon leaned in closer. "What was that? You'll have to speak up."

"I'll go," Vegeta whispered through a dry throat. "I'll go, I'll go! Just let her go."

Walcon released the black hair and he stood triumphantly, staring down at the shivering saiyajin. Blood leaked down all over the white shirt he wore. The demon roughly grabbed the metal pole that still stuck from Vegeta's back and ripped it out. The prince cried out and fell silent against the cold night grass.

"Vegeta! Fight him! Vegeta!" Bulma screamed.

The two that had been holding her threw her to the ground and slowly glided away from her. They moved over to their master and stared down at a trembling, groaning Vegeta as blood pooled from the wound and turned the white material around the area a blackish color.

Walcon looked at his two partners and they grinned. A rotted, clawed hand slowly reached down and roughly pulled the saiyajin up by the scruff of his shirt. A sharp intake of breath was heard as Vegeta flinched in pain. The lanky demon licked his lips held the saiyajin under one arm.

"Shall we go, then?" One of the henchmen asked.

"Gladly," Walcon replied.

They turned and Walcon's cold eyes glared at a crying Bulma. "I wish I could give you some words of consultation, but, seeing as how you will never be seeing him again, I guess there's nothing to say."

Bulma let out a defeated sob as the creatures of darkness turned. Just as they were about to shoot off into the air an orange, narrow beam of light shot out from the black sky. Yamcha looked over his shoulder with a relieved smile.

"Piccolo!"

The "special beam cannon" spiraled toward the unsuspecting demons and penetrated through Walcon's shoulder. The arm that had been holding the now unconscious saiyajin fell to the ground along with Vegeta. Through his shock, Walcon lost his snake-like hold on Yamcha, too as the black vines disappeared around the squirming human. Walcon blew some air out of his crooked nose in annoyance and turned. Reddish orange liquid oozed from the wound as the demon's cold eyes glared into Piccolo's sharp black ones. The tall figure dressed in the large white cape slowly descended to the ground and stood before the three shadow demons. Bulma let out a shuddering cry of relief as the Namek stood his ground.

"You two," Piccolo called to Yamcha and the sniffling Bulma. "Get him out of here. Take him someplace safe. I'll take care of this."

Yamcha stood from the ground and gaped at the green person standing a distance from him. "But, Piccolo. You can't fight these guys alone! You don't know what kind of powers they have. Look at what they did to Veg-"

"I'm fully aware of their strange abilities," Piccolo snapped as he folded his arms. "I've been doing some research this whole time, and that's why I arrived a bit late, sorry. But I can handle this. A trip to Dende's has helped me understand these monsters. Now, do as I say and take Vegeta away before he bleeds to death."

Yamcha's eyes widened at the demanding warrior and he stepped forward. Slowly he moved next to the three rattling demons and crouched down over the fallen prince. Would they let him take him? Placing his hands on Vegeta, Yamcha kept his eyes only on Walcon and the other two, making sure they wouldn't attack him.

"You're fight is with me now," Piccolo boomed, directing their attention away from Vegeta.

Quickly Yamcha grabbed the small saiyajin and sped back toward Bulma. Walcon's henchmen growled angrily at the sneaky human but their leader rose up a bony hand. Piccolo could see his eyes shining with a cruel evil.

"Let them go for now. Let them fix him up so we can have fun with him later. The namek wants to fight, so we shall fight him."

Bulma and Yamcha's eyes widened as they huddled over Vegeta. These demons knew of the nameks? Piccolo seemed unfazed and merely glared at his enemies.

"Well?" The green man snapped. "What are you waiting for? Go!"

Yamcha threw the bleeding saiyajin over his shoulder and turned. Bulma slowly stood and gave a thanking nod to Piccolo. The three moved toward the white fence and quickly exited the yard. Yamcha placed Vegeta in the backseat of the shiny red convertible, Bulma crawled into the driver's seat, shaking as the events of what just happened hit her, and Yamcha sat in the passenger's seat. Piccolo heard the small car start and drive away.

He returned his gaze to the three rattling, moaning creatures before him. He visited Dende on the lookout to explain the events and see if he could help. Surprisingly the little Namekian had heard of the Shadow Demons and was able to dig up some information on them. Piccolo knew he couldn't kill the beasts, but he had confidence that he could send them away and gather enough time for a well-developed plan.

The three that stood before him disgusted him. A stench of rotting bodies surrounded them and caused his stomach to turn. The lead one in the middle, the tallest one, must have been Walcon. He stood about the same height as Piccolo and had a black scarf tied around his mouth. Piccolo wondered briefly if the monster was hiding something or just using the get up to strike more fear into it opponents. He didn't dwell on it for too long, though, as Walcon stepped forward a bit.

"Why is it that you protect the dirty little monkey?" He asked, his voice scratchy and hissing. "He has done nothing but destroy planets, torment people, and spread fear throughout the universe. Why end your life for that?"

Piccolo smirked and grabbed his turban, throwing it from his head and repeated the same with his cape. "Because I used to do the same, maybe not to the same degree, but I too had an evil heart. Vegeta is changing, as we know it and doesn't deserve the torment you want to inflict on him. I cannot just stand by and watch him fight alone. I cannot allow the one he loves, Bulma, to feel the pain of loss and fear for him. I cannot allow you to travel among us in this dimension. You and your kind only belong in one place, and that's hell. I'll be helping you get back there."

Walcon glanced at his two minions and they laughed. Piccolo felt his annoyance rise. The taller figure cracked his dry, bony knuckles. "I've read his mind, just tonight. I've seen all the evil things he has done. I saw him ripping apart Nameks on your home planet and laughing as they screamed in pain. I saw his hatred toward the one called Goku and the way he despises all you earthlings. Surely, you don't want that hanging around you. Allow me to remove the vermin."

Piccolo's jaw clenched in anger. This creature was just not getting it. "So you're going to do the same things to him that he did to others? How are you any better?"

"Oh no….we have been torturing and causing fear within people far before any of you were even a thought the world. I torment anyone and anything I wish. It is our custom, our art form. It is just so much more enjoyable to torture those who think they are evil and unstoppable. Breaking the "unbreakable" is the best kind of punishment to inflict on those who are wicked and cruel. I am not doing to this out of some kind of moral standing; I am doing this because it is fun. Vegeta's mind is like an open book. I need him in me forever and I want to hear him scream once again."

The tall Namek had heard enough. He crouched into a fighting stance and glared at the sickening beast before him.

"You're sick and evil. We don't need your kind on Earth."

And with that Piccolo blasted off the ground, sending grass and dirt flying. His antennae flapped in the wind as the warm summer air flew past him. He wasn't sure what the outcome of this whole war would be, but he knew this, these creatures were going to lose this battle.

_Ok! Sorry, to leave it right there. I know that this chapter was kinda short, but the next one shall be quite good, I hope. Will Piccolo win? Will Vegeta, Bulma, and Yamcha make it to safety? Please read…and review!_


	6. Escape

'Hello all, and thank you again for the reviews and great comments. I noticed, though, that there was some confusion near the end. When Walcon is explaining to Piccolo that Vegeta "hates Goku and despises all the others", he was mainly saying that to goad Piccolo into letting him take Vegeta without a fight. At this point in time, Vegeta probably didn't hate Goku as much, but none of the others knew that and Walcon just wanted to make him appear worse than he really was, so Piccolo wouldn't feel the need to fight the Shadow Demon for him. Sorry if I didn't make that clear and thanks for pointing it out.'

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or the characters…except for my little Shadow Demons of course. Akira Toriyama has full rights to all DBZ stuff.

Chapter 6

The little red convertible sped down the narrow dark road that wound its way through the deep, shadowed cornfields. The three had just escaped from pending doom and drove aimlessly without really knowing where to go or what to do. Bulma tried to calm her shaking, but every time her blue eyes scanned the mirrors on her car she jumped as shadows and dark objects took the form of the silent enemy chasing them.

Yamcha sat next to her, noting the fact that each time she moved her head she would flinch or her eyes would widen with fear. He placed a hand on her shoulder and felt her shaking.

"It's ok," he said. "Piccolo seemed really confident. I bet he didn't leave Dende's without something to help our situation. He'll get rid of those creeps."

Bulma managed a small smile and she stole a glance at the backseat. Yamcha followed her gaze and bit his lip as he did. The small saiyajin was out cold, his skin was deadly white, and small streams of blood flowed over the leather car seat. Every few minutes a small moan of pain would fill the car. Bulma swallowed as she felt tears begin to form. She was brought back to the mind-numbing scene that had only occurred minutes ago.

He had cried out to for the demon to take him, not her. He had agreed to give up his life and not fight back for her safety and the possible safety of all the other fighters. She tore her eyes from his sweating features and gazed into the black night before them. She sighed and kept driving down the winding road past dense cornfields that probably held scary ghosts and secrets of their own.

A piercing ache pounded through the lower area and right side of his body. It felt as if a fire had burned away all the flesh on Vegeta's back and made it feel as if his life was draining out of him. The rocking motion of the red convertible made him even drowsier but he knew he needed to stay awake. The jagged pole that had plunged into his backside probably only tore apart the muscle protecting his kidney, but the electricity that ripped through him felt as if it struck the pained organ. Every few seconds a nauseating pain shot through his intestine and bowels, making it feel like a giant rock was trying to pass through his digestive track. The searing pain would then die down slightly and leave a dull ache throbbing along his abdomen. His right hip and leg felt numb except for the occasional shooting pain that would travel from his kidney down to his foot.

He wanted to sleep so badly, but found himself awakening more as his bladder filled and he needed to pee. Slowly opening his eyes he gazed up at the back of Yamcha and Bulma's head. He blinked, allowing his eyes to lower and close for a bit before opening them again. It felt like small weights were tied to his lids and a film of blurry plastic covered his vision. Reaching a hand over and behind his back, he swiped at the wound and then peered at the red fluid that doused his hand. Scowling he winced as more pain shot through his back and abdomen and he tried to hold in a small moan. But to his disappointment, Yamcha heard the small noise and turned to see an exhausted panting saiyajin bleeding all over the back seat.

"Hey, you ok?"

Vegeta's darkened eyes glared at the fool and he sighed. Gripping the back of Yamcha's seat he managed to pull himself into a sitting position, causing the pain to become an agonizing throb. It felt like his intestine were being pulled apart and his backside was burnt. His breath hitched in his throat and felt his mouth begin to water as the pain intensified.

"Pull over," he wheezed.

Bulma was startled at his quiet, weak voice and turned her head slightly. She gasped as she gazed at his features. He looked awful. Dark rings circled his eyes and gray bags made his features droop in exhaustion. The normally tan skin that glistened on his face was an unhealthy yellow. Bulma noticed his quickened breath and the fact that he looked as if he was about to be sick. Without hesitating, she pulled onto the shoulder of the darkened road.

"Help him out," Bulma hissed.

Yamcha leaned away from the snappy woman and exited the car. The air had cooled off and he shivered as cold wind blew through the blackened forest of the cornfields. Opening Vegeta's door, he reached in and gripped the weakened fighter by his elbow and shoulder. Surprisingly, the arrogant soldier didn't throw him off in anger and merely trembled from the blood loss. Leading him to a tree that stood at the bottom of the ditch where they had parked, Vegeta put a shaky hand on the rough bark and slid to his knees. Yamcha leaned over him a placed a hand on his back.

"I don't need you," Vegeta hissed quietly. "I'll manage on my own."

Yamcha sighed and gazed up the ditch where the shiny convertible sat and slowly walked away, far enough to give the soldier privacy, but keep an eye out in case he decided to collapse.

The pain was too intense now. The rock that felt like passing through his bowels had now become daggers digging into his entire abdomen. His vision was spinning and his head began to throb at the pain. Before he knew it, he was dry heaving on the wet grass and trembling as the cold wind cut through his hair. The wind carried the sounds of his illness to the two humans standing not far away and they looked at each other. Bulma bit her nail anxiously and paced back and forth on the sandy ground where her car sat.

Vegeta wasn't just going to sit there and vomit all night. Showing such weakness was quite embarrassing in his eyes. He still needed to pee, though. Glancing around the tree, he could see Yamcha standing nearby waiting. He sighed and stood, then slid his pants off to do his business. But calling forth the effort to urinate made the pain even worse. He bit his lip as his eyes watered. He had never experienced a pain so extreme when it came to a simple task such as this. He felt himself growing frustrated as he stood, his gray pants around his ankles, the right leg doused in blood, as he tried to pee. Pushing harder, he gasped in agony as a darkened stream exited his urethra. Blood. He was definitely bleeding internally. He wasn't sure if it was the pole or the electrocution that had followed, but his kidney was damaged and he was loosing blood not only on the outside of his body but on the inside, too.

The bleeding stream ended and he quickly pulled his pants back up. The pain had not subsided and the sharp ache grew steadily worse the longer he stood there. He slowly turned and walked as straight as he could toward the ditch that lined the country road. He stumbled slightly, not being able to feel his right leg and Yamcha grabbed him quickly. Vegeta found himself leaning against the taller fighter, his eyes closed and his breath deep as the pain overtook him. Everything felt numb and a loud buzzing could be heard in his ears. Far off he could hear two voices calling to each other in panic, their voices high and worried. He could hear himself mumbling incoherently about blood in the bladder and jagged knives sticking through his intestine and kidney.

A sudden lightness was felt and he opened his eyes to see that he was lying on the soft, leather seat again. His vision was even more blurred and he could see Bulma buckling her seat belt hurriedly. The two humans in the front were loudly arguing and Vegeta let his head fall to the side and his eyes to close. They were too loud. It hurt his ears.

"What's the matter?" His tired voice slurred.

The car jerked to a start and they were speeding down the road again.

"Tell us, Vegeta," she said sternly, as if she was talking to a child. Glancing over her shoulder she could see the pale warrior slowly opening and closing his eyes, sweat running down his face as he tried to get his mind working. "Tell us what happened, Vegeta. Where does it hurt? What happened?"

"He said he had blood in his bladder and knives-"

"I know Yamcha!" Bulma snapped. "He needs to be more precise."

"Well, he's bleeding all over the backseat!" Yamcha yelled back. "I think that's enough of a clue that he needs help."

Vegeta's head tossed a bit and he shifted, trying to wake himself up, but it was hard. His eyes remained closed as he listened to the little verbal battle occurring. Bulma seemed really worried. He had told her what was wrong didn't he? Maybe she needed more. She was so pretty. When she got angry, she was even prettier. A small smile appeared on his face, but quickly vanished as mind-numbing pain tore through his kidney. His back arched and he moaned miserably as daggers stabbed into his back.

"Oh shit!" Bulma cried as her lover convulsed. The car swerved slightly as she spun to look at him. Yamcha grabbed the wheel and righted the car. "What's the matter, Vegeta?"

He clenched his teeth and gasped again as more pain ripped into him. "Bleeding….bleeding internally," he managed to spout. "Blood in…in..urine….knives in my intestine. I think….I think my kidney is torn apart. I…I…"

He could hear Bulma utter the word shit as she drove down the road. Her blue eyes scanned the blackened road, then the wounded fighter on the seat behind her. His eyes were squeezed shut and his breath was quick and labored.

"So, what does this mean?" Yamcha asked.

Bulma found herself rolling her eyes. Honestly, he had been a fighter for years. He didn't know a single thing about battle wounds? She bit her lip and stared ahead with determination.

"A critical organ has been injured. Luckily, his other kidney is still ok, he can live for now, but the bleeding out the urethra isn't good. Whatever injury he received tore apart muscle and blood vessels and other protective tissues on and around his back. The electrocution he endured may have even ripped deeper into his body, causing more damage than we can see. The pain must be intense, though. Plus, he's losing a lot of blood as we speak."

Yamcha glanced behind him and then back at the creepy road that glowed from the headlights of Bulma's car. The wind ripped across the black top that encased them in the car. It was silent for several minutes as the speedy car raced down the road. Peering out into the haunted looking cornfields, Yamcha imagined what kind of creatures lived in the dark. He shivered suddenly and looked away.

"Wh-where are we going?" A weak voice whispered from the back.

Yamcha glanced at Bulma who didn't even turn around. Every time she looked back and saw Vegeta in such a condition she wanted to cry. Staring ahead she simply replied, "Goku's house."

She smiled slightly as the egotistical prince groaned in annoyance. She was glad that he hadn't lost all his senses yet. Yamcha gazed back out the window and sighed.

"I wish Goku was here."

There was no response from the back seat as was expected. With his eyes closed, Vegeta winced as pain lanced through his back and he sighed. Embarrassment filled him as he, too, wished for Goku's safe watch. As much as he hated the bastard, something always felt right when he was near. This situation had gone from bad to worse. A deep hopeless dread slowly filled him as the images of Walcon's rotted face and the other stinking demons left him wanting to curl up and die like a weak child. He wondered briefly if death was an acceptable answer out of this situation. Would Hell be a better place than earth at the moment? Could they still get him in the other world?

A deep shame filled him at such cowardly thoughts. But, he couldn't stand this constant feeling of nauseous terror he felt. The mere emotions of fear he experienced throughout this were deplorable and exhausting. The thought of death sickened him, but he considered the options. He'd either die and go to Hell, possibly escaping the torture of the Shadow Demons, or he could be tormented to death and kept inside the head of a psychotic demon forever.

He put a bloody hand behind his head and tried to ignore the searing pain in his body, but it wasn't possible. A churning anxiety crept through his mind and it felt as if a gaping black hole would swallow him up. He hadn't felt the overwhelming panic take hold of him like this since his prison days with Frieza. He wished it would just end. He wished the pain and terror eating away at him would just cease.

Bulma let out an ear splitting shriek as the image of a cape flew in front of the windshield. Waving fabric in the dark glided over the smooth glass, indicating that something was hovering around the car. Her mind freezing up, she clenched the wheel and swerved crazily, Yamcha yelling and trying to the grab the wheel from the frantic woman. The red car flew off the side of the ditch and crashed harshly into the deep ground. But, still it didn't stop. The spinning wheels carried the convertible into the darkened cornfields where it finally hit some torn up land and slid onto its side.

The whole time Bulma screeched like a dying cat as Yamcha tried to get her to control the car, but as soon as they had hit the cornfield, it was every person for themselves. When Bulma realized the car had stopped moving, her blue eyes opened slowly. Was she dead? She was strapped uncomfortably in her seat and painfully leaned sideways. Looking around she saw that the entire car was on its side and she could see nothing but darkness around them. It was only then that she realized that the cape she had seen whipping against the windshield could only mean one thing.

"Shit."

She struggled to undo the seatbelt that tightened around her waist. She actually thanked the cheap air bags for not inflating as the mounting panic told her to get out of the car. Finally clicking the button, she fell from her sideways chair and landed on a squirming Yamcha who also struggled to undo his seatbelt. The two lay against the crushed window that pressed into the dry dirt and breathed heavily.

"We need to get out of here," Bulma whispered, her voice coming in high and panicked. Yamcha grabbed her shoulders and tried to right himself, but it was too hard, considering the angle they were at. He twisted his head over his shoulder and saw the now unconscious saiyajin pressed against the broken window that shattered from impact. A few streaks of blood ran down his face and there was no movement.

Yamcha struggled to move Bulma off of him and also reach Vegeta, but the fact that they were all on their sides made it difficult. Bulma pushed off of him and glanced at the window now above them and attempted to reach up to it. She felt sudden pressure on her ass and realized that Yamcha was trying to hoist her up. Clenching her teeth she made a fist and whipped around.

"Hey, pal! This is not the time!"

Yamcha peered at the difficult woman and hid a startled smirk. He removed his hands from her round rear and she landed with a thud on his chest.

"I'm just trying to help you out. It's not my fault that your ass is the only big target to get yourself out of here."

Bulma's jaw dropped and she grabbed his face. "How dare you! I ought to rip off your balls and-"

Her sentence was completed with a shriek so loud it could have cracked the glass in the car. The upturned window that hovered above Vegeta burst inward and a clawed hand appeared in the dark. It was so fast not even Yamcha could follow it. The spastic blue haired woman clung to his neck, screaming in his ear, as the darkened arm reached in and grabbed the small saiyajin by his foot and tore him from the car. Some sense finally struck Bulma and she released Yamcha. Frantically, she pushed off his chest and grabbed the broken window, cutting her fingers as she clung to it. She managed to hoist herself up and she peered into the eerie darkness that surrounded the car.

She gasped as she saw a huge figure standing in the shadows, seeing a lifeless form under its arm. A sudden anger slowly began to build within her chest and she kicked her legs, trying to get out of the small convertible.

"Vegeta!" she cried, as she lifted a knee over the broken window. She gasped as strong hands grabbed her legs. Yamcha was trying to pull her back in the car! She kicked at him, but still he held on. "Vegeta! We need to get him! We need to get Vegeta!"

Yamcha held onto the flailing legs of the thickheaded woman. "No!" He yelled. "It only wants him. Don't go get yourself killed! He just wants Vegeta!"

But even as Yamcha screamed these words, guilt swept through him. How could he say something so cold hearted? Bulma was crying for her true love and he was holding her back. He wasn't even attempting to get out of the car. He was no match for these creatures, though. What was the point in getting himself killed along with Bulma in the most torturous way? He pulled the woman back into the car.

Bulma landed on Yamcha's chest again and began to slash at him viciously. She sputtered words of hate and spat cruel insults at him as she struggled to get away.

"You're just going to let them take him!" She shouted, her voice shaking his eardrums. "You're not even going to help! Please, he needs us. He needed us to protect him!"

She was crying now. Her tears streaming down her face. The creature holding Vegeta probably left by now. He probably already took the prince to some horrid place to torture and kill him. She shook as she was held defenseless in the turned over car. She at least wanted to say goodbye. She at least wanted to say she loved him.

Tears flowed faster and she slapped Yamcha's chest as hard as she could. Tears ran onto his face and he looked away, not able to stand her grief anymore. He felt awful. He felt like the lowest form of scum in the world.

"Vegeta," she moaned.

"I…I'm sorry."

Bulma gasped for a breath as she sobbed. Her blue locks hung over her face and she sat on Yamcha's chest and cried. The wind blew violently through the broken windows and haunting cornfields, but she heard none of it. Her thoughts were only with Vegeta.

"How long are you going to take in there?" A sudden booming voice spoke.

Bulma screamed and flung herself over the other human under her. It took her a moment to figure out who just spoke and she slowly looked over her shoulder. It was so dark outside, but she could see the pointed ears on the sides of the green head and the white turban. Sharp eyes peered into the broken window and Bulma found herself laughing. A sudden joy overtook her and she leapt off of Yamcha and clung to Piccolo's folds of cape. One strong green hand pulled her out of the wreckage and she saw the unconscious form of Vegeta under his other arm.

Bulma gave a sob of relief as her heart filled with overwhelming happiness. She ran to him and Piccolo gently placed the wounded fighter on the ground. Bulma held the prince as Piccolo walked over to the car and pulled Yamcha out. The disgruntled human brushed himself off and scowled at the tall, green Namek.

"I could have gotten out myself, you know."

Piccolo merely scoffed and returned to Bulma and Vegeta. He could see the watery blue orbs peering at him through the darkness as Bulma swept her fingers through Vegeta's black hair.

"How did you do it?" Bulma asked. "How did you get rid of them?"

"I only delayed them for a while. I'll explain it all when we get to…"

Bulma looked back down at the sleeping saiyajin. "Goku's house."

Gohan sat at his table in the kitchen as silence hummed throughout the house. He chewed on the end of his pencil as he listened to the outside noises of the dark night. He had been studying for two hours, but he kept getting distracted. Every few minutes he'd feel his stomach sink and he could have sworn he felt power levels dropping and rising in the distance. Glancing at the clock on the wall, he saw it was 12:30 and sighed. His mom wanted two pages of math homework and a short essay written over "All Quiet on the Western Front" the next morning. He was only on question three of the math problems and hadn't even finished the novel yet.

His thoughts were interrupted, though, as he could suddenly sense power levels outside his house and voices coming from his front yard.

"I just don't see why you tried to land on the damn windshield," he heard Bulma complain. "That car costs more than your life, mister."

"I thought that you would be able to come to a controlled stop," Piccolo's voice muttered. Gohan's ear perked up and he put down his pencil. "Can't you tell the difference between a white cape and an old black one?"

He heard Yamcha laugh as Bulma growled angrily.

"When you are driving away from sure death and torturous evil, you don't really notice the detailed colors of capes and cloaks and-"

He couldn't hear the rest of her whining as they knocked on the door. Happy to take a break, Gohan quickly answered, his eyes widening as a bloodied Vegeta hung from Piccolo's large arm. Bulma and Yamcha looked clearly shaken and had small scratches all over their arms and faces. His dark eyes fell on a bite mark sitting upon Bulma's neck and he instantly became serious.

"The Shadow Demons?"

They all nodded as Gohan invited them in. He told them to wait as he rushed down the hall and grabbed some towels. Bulma cringed as she heard Chi-Chi's questioning voice. Quick footsteps were heard and a frantic looking woman stood before them. Her hair was a mess and not in a tidy bun as usual. Random hairs stuck out at strange angles and she looked as if she could explode at any second. Her dark eyes fell on the unconscious saiyajin under Piccolo's arm and she growled angrily.

"Oh no! Not here!" She roared.

Bulma closed her eyes as rage filled her senses. So far this night was not being successful and Chi-Chi's attitude was not helping matters. Gohan stood over the couch and continued to drape towels across the cushions, not really paying mind to the argument soon to break out. The black-haired woman turned to glare at her young son.

"No way, mister! You take those towels back to the bathroom. He's not staying here and bleeding all over my furniture!"

Gohan stood up and gave her a disappointed look. "It's only for a little while," he said softly. "Where else can he go? He needs help fast and we can't just let him die."

Chi-Chi's eyebrows lowered and she crossed her arms. Turning back to Bulma and the others she scowled deeply.

"Please Chi-Chi," Bulma pleaded quietly. "I've come too close to losing him already. Please let us stay here for the night."

The stubborn woman sniffed angrily and gazed at the longhaired saiyajin bleeding under Piccolo's arm. She knew that Goku would say the same thing, and who was she to say no to an angel like him? Plus, what kind of monster would she be if she just threw the injured warrior out in the cold? She didn't know Vegeta well, but from what she had seen of him, she despised him greatly. But, Bulma had told her he changed since Goku's death. Her son also agreed that he was different. How much damage could he do in this state, anyway? She didn't like the idea of him being around her three-year-old son, Goten, but she nodded slightly and turned back to Gohan.

"For tonight. I'll get the first aid kit."

She heard a sigh of relief as she left the room and smiled discreetly. It actually felt good to be agreeable sometimes.

Bulma had Piccolo lay Vegeta face down on the soft couch so she could inspect the wound. Crouching on the floor, she gently rolled his once white shirt up and winced as she saw the blackened hole around his kidney. She heard Gohan gasp next to her as he, too, crouched at the side of the couch.

"What happened?"

Bulma looked at the sleeping features of her lover's face and held back some tears as she recalled the terrifying events of the night. She began to shake as she remembered the terror and darkness the demons instilled and she looked away form the fifteen-year-old half saiyajin. Gohan felt Yamcha's hand on his shoulder and the older man smiled.

"Come to the kitchen, I'll tell you what's up."

So, the young warrior followed Yamcha to the kitchen where Piccolo stood and listened to the tale of the night. Chi-Chi returned and knelt beside Bulma, watching her as she cleaned Vegeta's wound. The dark-haired woman noticed the rings of exhaustion under Bulma's eyes and her tired face, but said nothing as the scientist dealt with Vegeta's injuries. The two could hear Yamcha retelling the night's events and suddenly they all felt Son's usually cozy house feel not as safe in the darkness. Upon finishing, Bulma looked up form the couch and glanced at Piccolo.

"So, let's hear your events of the story now," she demanded as she prodded the bleeding wound around Vegeta's kidney.

Piccolo looked around at all the others and nodded slowly. Bulma smirked, hoping that she would finally get some details on these creatures and what they were.

'Alrighty, that's it for chapter six. Sorry that it took longer than usual. Writers Block, you know. Well, it wasn't as scary or graphic as my other chapters, but don't worry, it shall be again! I'll try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible, explaining what's up with these demonic creatures. So, please read and let me know what you think. Thanks!'


	7. Healed

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z or any of the characters. It all belongs to Akira Toriyama.

Chapter 7

Bulma moved into the small kitchen from the tiny living room. Normally she would feel so blessed that her house was so much roomier than Chi-Chi's home, but after working on Vegeta's wounds to the best of her abilities, she was just too tired to feel the satisfaction. Plopping in a hard wooden chair, Bulma leaned her head on her hands and yawned.

After cleaning and gauzing the stab wound, she realized that he would need medical help soon. Being a saiyajin, his body could handle such a blow, but he was in pain and bleeding and she couldn't stand it. A glass of water was placed in front of her and she grabbed it, smearing blood across the crystal glass.

"Thanks Gohan."

Chi-Chi brought a chair in front of the older, blue-haired woman and took her hands into her own. Bulma blinked and merely watched.

"How did you cut your hands so badly?"

Bulma had completely forgotten about the glass on the broken window from her car slicing through her fingers. Before she could answer Yamcha chuckled lightly.

"That's what happens when you get between Bulma and her man. When Piccolo took Vegeta from the car, the crazy woman tried to crawl out of the broken window in the car."

The green namek reddened in the cheeks a bit and cleared his throat. Chi-Chi told her son to fetch the first aid kit from the living room. She was once again surprised by the caring and love went on between the two feisty people. The two were always such a surprise. Soon Bulma had white bandages around her palms and fingers. Finishing off her large glass of water, Bulma turned to Piccolo with a stern eyebrow.

"So," she started. "How exactly is it that you are here, unscathed and triumphant?"

The namek simply gazed at Yamcha, Bulma, Chi-Chi, and Gohan. He thought back to the battle with a dark feeling, remembering the rotten faces of the creeps he fought. Taking a breath, Piccolo went on with his story.

"Remember when I said I was visiting Dende before I came to the battle?" With the needed nods he continued. "Well, being a guardian of an entire planet, he has access to other dimensions and Otherworld. After I explained the situation we had here, he communicated with King Yemma and received something that could delay the Shadow Demons for a short time."

Lifting a clawed hand palm up a mystic, wavering blue glow appeared. Gohan and Yamcha gasped as they felt an intensely strange power emanating from it, one they had never felt before. As they stared transfixed, almost in a trance, Piccolo quickly crushed it. They shook their heads and gazed up at the tall warrior.

"What…what was that?" Gohan asked.

"Light Angel power," he replied simply. "Dende could only receive a small amount, but when used properly one blast from this can send any evil other worldly creature back to its roots."

"So, you used that?" Gohan said.

Piccolo nodded. "I fought the three that had been facing you. What strange powers. Somehow they can vanish and become cloud-like, but remain solid at the same time."

Bulma and Yamcha gave a lopsided smirk and nodded slowly. They experienced enough of the awfulness for one night.

"It took much battling and maneuvering, but luckily, Nameks already have a somewhat mystic power, what with the power to heal, grow back limbs, rule planets with god-like powers, and have energies different from other fighters. I'm able to track their movements and energy a bit better than others, but not much. Also, handling the Light Angel power was an easier task than others could."

"What are Light Angels exactly?" Bulma asked as she leaned on her hands and winced at the pain.

"The exact opposite of Shadow Demons," Piccolo replied simply. "I didn't have the opportunity to meet one, nor did Dende. As soon as he left to get help, I felt the attacks at Capsule Corp. and had to return immediately."

"How did you finally beat them, Piccolo?" Yamcha wondered.

The Namek's dark eyes scanned the kitchen and he smirked. "A few well placed moves and good timing. I had to attack while they were in a transparent form. While in that state, I placed my hand inside right at the moment they became solid again so I was stuck."

Chi-Chi gasped but remained silent. "Once I was "trapped" I released the blue energy inside their bodies. I had to move quickly before they caught on, but after I defeated Walcon no others returned. That's when I tracked down all of you."

Gohan leaned forward, intrigued by the whole battle. "So…where did they go then?"

Piccolo smiled at his young pupil's curiosity. "Back to…Hell."

A silent chill swept across all the residents of the house as the words were uttered.

"Surely, they're not really from…Hell?" Chi-Chi whispered.

Piccolo nodded slowly, his eyes darkening. Everyone sent nervous glances at each other, realizing how much this situation really was terrifying and serious.

"From what little information Dende received, this was among it. That's all I know so far. Hell is a big place with many different layers. There are planets, countries, levels, and groups all around it."

Knowing that Piccolo knew what he was talking about made all stomachs turn. Having fused with Kami, the once ruler of earth, he knew about as much of the after life than any other on earth besides Dende.

"But, you said they can return, yes?" Bulma muttered. "How do we know that?" A small amount hope was rising within her, but it quickly sank as Piccolo nodded his turbaned head.

"I only sent them back to their origin. I don't know when or how they will return, but they can travel through dimensions and worlds. They aren't made of the same stuff as you or I. Demons. Remember that."

A slow anger began to rise within Bulma. Of course, nothing could ever go right for them. Knowing that these evil monsters could return any second was not a pleasant thought.

"So, what do we do?" Yamcha spoke up.

The kitchen was silent as they pondered this. A hopeless fear welled up within the blue-haired scientist and she blinked away some rising tears. Yamcha sighed at the whole tiring situation. Having to deal with this persistent fear was so exhausting. Gohan looked at the defeated faces on the two once-lovers. Feeling much pity for their tiring situation he looked down at his feet. The kitchen had just gotten much darker and dreary.

"Why don't you just go ask King Yemma for help?"

Eyes snapped up and stared at Chi-Chi. She gave them a quizzical look.

"He helped out the first time. Now that you're not in a hurry, you can take your time and get his help. Plus, you can get Dende to heal Vegeta before you go."

Giving each other embarrassed looks everyone sheepishly grinned.

"Gee, that does seem like a logical plan," Yamcha laughed.

Chi-Chi gave a smug smile. "Honestly. Just calm down and think. This is why you're all warriors."

Bulma brushed off the snide comment and smiled. Feeling a small amount relief for the first time in a while she sighed. Her eyes felt dry and her lids felt like they were being weighed down. Glancing up at the microwave clock, she saw that it was nearing two in the morning and she moaned.

"How about you go borrow some pajamas from my room, Bulma," Chi-Chi suggested.

Nodding tiredly Bulma stood. Walking through the dark living room, she made her way to the sleeping prince on the couch. Lying face down, his face pressed into the soft cushions making him look cherubic and sweet. She noted the small amount of blood on the bandages around his waist and was glad that he wasn't bleeding as much as before. Leaning over she brushed some loose strands of black hair from his pale face and stood.

"It'll all be ok, Vegeta," she murmured.

The small warrior frowned and moaned lightly before shifting on the couch. Bulma smiled slightly and made her way to Chi-Chi's room.

The four that were left in the kitchen had moved onto a new conversation, taking their minds off the matter at hand. It felt good to finally relax a bit, even if there could be an attack any minute. But knowing that they couldn't just dwell on monsters lurking in the shadows, they forced the conversation into a new topic. Chi-Chi glanced up at the clock and gasped.

"It is 2:15 in the morning!" She shouted. Running over to Gohan she hoisted the fifteen-year-old demi-saiyajin from his chair. "Off to bed, Gohan! You better have gotten all your homework done young man."

The blushing boy rubbed a hand through silky black hair. "Ah, Mom."

Chi-Chi pushed her son forward and smacked his bottom with a smile. "Scoot."

Yamcha laughed as the most powerful warrior on earth was scolded by his mother and sent off to bed. It was no different with Goku, either. Standing up to the crazy woman was a battle no one could win. Again, his thoughts were turned to Goku and he hid a small look of sadness. He really wished the confident, friendly fighter were here to help. Perhaps they would see him if they were granted access to Otherworld.

"What's on your mind?" Chi-Chi asked.

Yamcha smiled and shook his head. "Just wishin' that Goku was here."

The dark-eyed woman looked surprised for a moment before smiling and nodding herself. "So do I, Yamcha. So do I." She glanced up at the silent Piccolo. "So, where do you plan to sleep tonight?" She demanded.

His eyes had been closed, but he looked at the bossy woman as she spoke to him. Pushing off the counter he had been leaning against, he moved past the two humans, his white cape whirling behind him.

"I'll be guarding outside. I don't particularly like beds and couches."

Chi-Chi watched as the tall warrior exited out the door. She had never liked Piccolo, especially since he kidnapped her son for six months and forced him to fight the psycho-saiyajin bleeding all over her couch now. She chuckled as she realized how weird her life was. It felt good to know there was someone watching the house, though.

"You get Goten's room," Chi-Chi snapped, not even looking at Yamcha.

He blinked and straightened up. "Like, in a crib?"

"Of course not!" The feisty woman roared. "There is a bed in there, you know! But, if you dare wake up my son, you'll be sorry."

The shaky fighter gave her a terrified grin and slipped out of the kitchen. Chi-Chi sighed and picked up the bloody glass Bulma had been drinking from. Peering at it, she wondered if she would have been able to handle this whole thing. If an arrogant asshole like Vegeta was petrified of these things, it must have been worse than she thought. Realizing she was alone in the kitchen sent a chill up her spine. Placing the glass in the sink, she hurried from the kitchen and into the darkened living room.

Staring out the dark windows she shuddered at the thought of some foul-faced demon bursting through the glass. Imagining she was seeing shadows outside she leapt a mile through the air as something moaned behind her. Whipping around instinctively in a fighting stance, her dark brown eyes scanned the room, only to fall on the limp form on the couch. She groaned as she took in the blood soaked towels underneath him. She would have to get a new couch now.

She moved over to him to see how bad the damage to her furniture was. Glancing at the gauze and bandages around his waist she was relieved to see that he had stopped bleeding so much, but lifting some of the towels she could see the blood already turning brown against the cushions.

"Bulma?"

Chi-Chi leapt back at the quiet utterance and tried to calm her beating heart. Damn this saiyajin was scary. Through the darkness Chi-Chi could see one clouded eye open and close trying to figure out where he was.

"Wha…where am I? Why-"

He gasped in pain and began to cough into the cushions. Chi-Chi felt a pang of worry at his condition and wondered if Bulma was sleeping. The brown-haired woman crawled forward on hands and knees and sat beside the pained prince.

"You're at my house. Son Goku's house."

He moaned at the name and tried to shift but gasped again and remained motionless. Why was his back so numb? Why could he barely move at all?

"Bulma?"

Chi-Chi gave him a small smile, feeling a sense of happiness that he was able to call out for her best friend.

"I think she's sleeping now, but do you want me to get her?"

Vegeta seemed to think on this, his drowsy head pressed into the warm cushions, and then nodded with a small grunt of a yes. Chi-Chi stood and left the wounded saiyajin on the couch. She would never admit it, but as much as she was terrified of the killer, he was quite attractive. She could definitely see the appeal, but not while he was awake and active. Everything he said and did screamed "murdering psycho" and she didn't want her sons anywhere near that. But still, Bulma told her that he had changed, so maybe he could be trusted now.

Chi-Chi entered her room to see Bulma fast asleep in the large, cushioned chair in the corner of the room. She smiled softly and woke her dozing friend. Bulma woke with a start and gasp and clung to chair, breathing heavily. Chi-Chi's eyes widened at the reaction, but figured it was the result of the night's events.

"Vegeta is awake. He wants to see you."

Bulma stared at her young friend before nodding and wiping the sleep from her eyes. Staggering out of the room without a word, Chi-Chi watched the tired blue-eyed beauty exit. Before laying down in her own bed, Chi-Chi gathered up a pile of blankets and pillows and laid them on the floor for her exhausted friend. Falling face first into her bed, Chi-Chi fell fast asleep.

His eyes were closed again when Bulma entered. Glad to hear that he had woken up briefly, she still felt somewhat annoyed that he was not awake now. And she had been sleeping so peacefully, too. Well, as peaceful as one could after a night of pure terror and fear.

She knelt beside the couch and brushed her delicate fingers across his face. Waking instantly, Vegeta surprised her. Bulma started and laughed nervously as two glazed eyes peered at her.

"How are you feeling?"

Vegeta dropped his head again and took in a shaky breath. "I feel like shit. How did we end up here?"

Bulma smiled and ran a hand through his hair, knowing that it drove him crazy with delight when she rubbed his scalp. "Piccolo defeated the Shadow Demons and accidentally surprised us. I, um…crashed the car."

She held up her bandaged hands and Vegeta peered at them with interest. Trying to reach out to touch them, he let out a low moan of pain and stopped the movement. Bulma hushed him gently and delicately pushed his head down into the pillows so he would relax. He must have been in an extreme amount of pain if he couldn't even move his upper body.

"So, they're defeated?" His scratchy voice asked.

Bulma sighed and grabbed his hands. Kissing his fingers she shook her head. "Only delayed."

She watched as Vegeta closed his eyes and pressed his face deeper into the pillow. "I just want it to end," he whispered.

Bulma felt her stomach clench at his admitted agony and she bit back tears. "It'll all be ok. In the morning, we're going to the lookout, get you all healed up, and we're going to try to get into Otherworld to get help."

Vegeta remained motionless and breathed deeply. "Why don't you just take me to Dende now?" He asked, his thoughts only on releasing the pain.

Bulma gave him a pitied smile, though she knew he despised looks of sympathy directed towards him, but she couldn't help it. "It's too early in the morning, Vegeta. Besides, we don't know when or where the Shadow Demons will attack again. It's too dangerous to travel at night."

His eyebrows knitted together and one black eye opened to gaze at her. She stared back, getting lost in the hopeless despair within them.

"Go back to sleep, Vegeta. We'll leave first thing in the morning."

Without a word, the small saiyajin merely pressed his face back into the warm pillows and was asleep instantly. Bulma felt her lower lip tremble and she took a few deep breaths. It didn't work. Silently she cried for her lover and his pain and wished it would all go away. Kissing him lightly on the cheek Bulma stood and swept a hand through his velvety hair again.

"Good night."

As light poured into the window, Bulma squinted from her position on the floor. Glad that Chi-Chi laid out blankets for her, Bulma fell right to sleep in the small room. Looking up Bulma saw that it was eight in the morning. Flying from her "bed" the blue-haired woman hurried into the living room. Relieved to see that Vegeta was still sleeping, breathing, and alive was a great thing to wake up too. Hurrying to Gohan's room she knocked and was greeted by a drowsy looking teenager.

"Ready to take Vegeta to the lookout?"

At first, Gohan simply stared with glazed over eyes and then nodded. "I'll be ready in five."

Running next into Goten's room, Bulma smiled at the small three-year-old who slept in a little racecar bed in the corner of the room. Her smile faded as she saw Yamcha lazily draped over the large bed in the center. He was awoken with a sharp slap on the face; Bulma's usual way of waking him.

In about ten minutes a very exhausted saiyajin boy and adult human slouched into the living room.

"Well, let's go," Bulma said cheerfully.

She had changed back into the sleep clothes she arrived in and was ready to go. Gohan looked up at Yamcha and yawned.

"Do you wanna carry him or do you want me to?"

Not really wanting to get blood on his clothes Yamcha was about to say Gohan should, but seeing as how he was bigger than the powerful warrior, he volunteered. Bulma moved over to Vegeta's side and gently shook him. Usually a small movement like that would send the prince flying, but he remained asleep. Shaking him again, rougher this time, he woke up with a start and winced.

Bulma bit her lip at how pale he looked. Dark rings circled his eyes and his usual tan skin was almost white. His cheeks looked sunken and shallow and she tried to remember the last time he ate anything.

"Vegeta, we're going to Dende's lookout. Yamcha's going to carry you."

The black-haired saiyajin looked at her with confusion and tried to speak, but his words failed him and he slumped. Bulma let out a gasp and placed a hand on his back. His eyes were still open, but he was making no response.

"Try to stay awake, Vegeta," she said. "We'll be there in a few."

Gesturing for Yamcha to come over, he crouched before the slighter man and hoisted him up. Vegeta gasped and tried to jerk away but the action only intensified the pain. The numbness in his back was now throbbing, sending shockwaves of needles and daggers through his spine. He needed to pee again, but knew what kind of pain that would generate. The only thing he could do was to allow Yamcha to pick him up like a child and hold him in his arms.

Making their way outside, Piccolo stood waiting. Gohan grabbed Bulma and the troop headed into the sky toward the lookout.

………..

"Wow, he really did get beaten badly," Dende said as he gazed down at the pale saiyajin lying on the tiled floor of the lookout. The short namek looked up at Piccolo and smiled. "So you held them off, huh? Was it hard?"

"Could you just heal him?" Bulma snapped, walking forward to the healer.

Dende leapt nervously and knelt down. "Of course, forgive me."

There was a light green glow and Bulma felt relief as color flooded Vegeta's face and his breathing grew calmer. Dende stood after a few minutes and backed away. The prince's eyes fluttered open and he sat up. The pain in his side was gone and feeling returned to his legs.

"Is that better?" Dende asked.

Even though he felt quite tired, there was much gratification at the loss of pain. The agony he spent over the past hours drained him. He stood up and felt the bandages around his waist and nodded. Bulma moved up to him and smiled. Knowing that he wouldn't appreciate the showing of emotions in front of the earthlings she merely patted his shoulder.

"Glad you're better."

Vegeta looked into her blue eyes and hid a small smile of his own, but she could see it in his dark orbs. "Me too."

"Dende," they heard Mr. Popo say as he hobbled up to the small group. "Perhaps Vegeta would like a change of clothing. I'm sure everyone would want some food, too."

The green child smiled and nodded. "Of course." He turned to look at the scowling saiyajin who wore the white cloth shirt with the large bloodstain on the back. Dende also noticed the streams of blood that had sunk into his gray pants. "After Bulma had created all the saiyajin armor for you guys during the fight against Cell, there were some left here on the lookout. I'll go get them. Please, Mr. Popo, get them some food while I'm busy."

After getting cleaned up, changing into the usual blue, yellow, and white armor, and indulging in platefuls of food, Vegeta asked what the plan was, not remembering much of anything the previous night and forgetting Bulma speaking to him.

"We're going to visit King Yemma," Gohan replied eagerly.

A dark, sculpted eyebrow rose and Vegeta swallowed what he had been eating. "Why?" He asked, not liking the idea of seeing a person who would condemn him to hell without a moment's notice.

Dende came into the small room where everyone had been consuming food. "If we are dealing with creatures of the Otherworld, we need the help of someone who works in that area. I only have access to visit him so that's where we're going."

The young lord felt himself begin to sweat under the glassy stare of the powerful warrior. "What do you mean, creatures of the Otherworld?"

Everyone looked at each other. Of course, Vegeta had been out during Piccolo's story. They started to fill him in on the Light Angel power, the way the strong Namek could handle it, and everything that occurred while he was unconscious. Putting a gloved hand up to the bridge of his nose uncharacteristically Vegeta sighed.

"How does this always happen to me?" He muttered. Looking up he crossed his arms angrily. "It only fits that demons actually from Hell are out to get me."

Bulma gave him a pitied smile and patted his strong knee. "It'll be ok."

Not expecting his reaction, she jumped as he stood suddenly. Looking around angrily he snapped, "That's all you've been saying, Woman! And so far, nothing has turned out ok. Having demonic, torturous creatures of hell chasing after you for days is not as easy as you think!"

Bulma blinked at his outburst and sudden lack of confidence and she slowly stood. She should have realized this. He had been injured for so long, been under intense fear for two days, and was about to embark on a journey to the Otherworld where his presence was surely not welcome. But it was so unnerving to see the always confident, arrogant prince stand before them showing his defeat and fear. Not knowing what to say, she looked away.

"That's why we're going to Otherworld," Piccolo spoke smoothly. "Like you said, nothing has been going ok…but you're still alive and I'd say that is pretty much ok."

Vegeta sent him a look of loathing and seemed like he wanted to say something else, but gazed at the tiled floor angrily. Thinking he had won the argument, Piccolo threw his cape behind him.

"Let's go then, Dende."

The group followed Dende into a dark room, the place where he must have been able to teleport to King Yemma's desk. As the warriors stood there Yamcha turned to see Bulma standing close to the namekian god.

"What do you think you're doing?" Yamcha demanded. "You can't come with."

Whipping around angrily Bulma's blue eyes blazed. Pointing a finger in his face she growled low. "Listen buddy, I have been through enough shit over the past few hours. I've been attacked by psychotic demons and crashed my expensive convertible while running for my life. I'm not going to sit this one out and stay here alone while you guys all go get yourselves killed. I'm coming with."

Yamcha's mouth dropped at her annoying persistence and looked at all the others. They smiled sheepishly and looked away. Vegeta gave a small "humph" and glanced toward the nearby wall. This was why he chose Bulma to be his mate. Her attitude was so great sometimes.

"Ok, everyone," Dende said. "Grab hold of me and we'll be in front of Yemma is a sec."

Getting a hold on the small healer, there was a flash and all six forms flashed and vanished. Mr. Popo stood at the doorway of the dark room, the light shining behind him and illuminating his round body.

"Good luck, to all of you."

'_Yes, another chapter without all the blood, gore, terror and fun stuff, but it shall be here soon. I'll try to get another chapter out soon, and thanks to all those who have reviewed!'_


	8. Revenge

'Alright, this chapter will be a longer one, but guess what! Torture, blood, gore! Yes, it has returned, but you won't believe who's inflicting it! For all those who are fans of my "Dark Past" and "Too Many Voices" and have always wanted revenge against Frieza in the best...or worse way, then I think you will like this chapter. Please read and enjoy!'

Disclaimer: You know what's up. No I don't own DBZ or any characters. It belongs to Akira Toriyama.

Chapter 8

Staring up at the big red face Vegeta scowled as Gohan, Piccolo, Bulma, Yamcha, and Dende greeted him kindly. The small Namekian lord bowed to the large ogre as startled cloud spirits squeaked in surprise and zoomed away. Black irises glared down at the intruders.

"Dende, you know I like a bit of warning before you come barging in. Luckily for you I'm not too busy."

Stamping some papers quickly and shuffling them, King Yemma tossed them into a bin. Leaning over his desk and peering at the three clouds floating behind the six guests he cleared his throat.

"Would all three of you please follow the blue ogre to the second stage of heaven?"

Yipping excitedly the spirits danced after one of King Yemma's workers. The giant turned back to the people from earth. A quick flash of the eye rested on Vegeta for a moment before looking at all of them.

"What is it that you need?"

Dende stepped forward nervously, still not too used to all the power on his young shoulders. "Well, with your help and the power of the Light Angel power, we managed to hold back the Shadow Demons for a while…but…."

"Yes?"

"Well, we were hoping that you could help us out once again," Dende spoke respectfully. "As you know, the demons have their eyes on Vegeta and we were wondering if we could have a final solution to this problem. I couldn't stay here too long yesterday so I couldn't gather more energy to help destroy these monsters for good. Do you…do you think you could give us enough Light Angel power to defeat them once and for all?"

King Yemma stiffened, then straightened up in his gargantuan chair. None of them could miss the uncomfortable glance at the arrogant saiyajin as he shifted. Clamping his large red hands together he cleared his throat loudly.

"I'm sorry, it's much too difficult. Next please."

Jaws dropped as two more clouds danced in front of them. Feminine hands grasped the white clouds and shoved them to the side.

"Now wait a second!" Bulma yelled loudly. "What's up with that? You're the king of this spirit realm and as far as I know, Vegeta is a part of this dimension, therefore you have to help."

King Yemma's red face became darker at the demanding woman. "Listen carefully," he spoke slowly, making them all lean in intently. "The Shadow Demons are known to only go after those who are cold, evil, and already destined for hell, so going out of my way to disturb the Light Angels for more power to help a person who is already condemned seems much too pointless. Now, as I-"

"But you're the king!" Gohan hollered stepping forward angrily. Vegeta stood back, his arms crossed in anger at the useless red-faced giant. "You can see that Vegeta has changed. You can see that he doesn't deserve a fate that awaits him if he gets captured by the Shadow Demons."

Growing impatient at all the angry yelling in his direction King Yemma slammed his hands on the table. "Think of all the people he killed and tormented in his life!"

"Vegeta doesn't deserve that fate, King Yemma," a voice spoke up from the entrance of his checkpoint house.

Whipping around, eyes widened as a tall, confident Goku stood there. There was a moment of silence before Bulma, Gohan, and Yamcha ran forward almost in tears. Vegeta turned, his heart racing as his enemy, his rival…his friend hugged the people of earth. Even he had a feeling of running to the powerful saiyajin, begging for his help, asking anything from him to help him, to save him from the Shadow Demons. Instead he forced his face into a blank stare and tightened his crossed arms. As Goku was released the orange-clad warrior made his way forward until he stood next to the scowling Vegeta.

"I was on snake way with King Kai when I suddenly felt all these familiar power levels show up and I teleported here to see what was up. I caught most of the conversation and I'm surprised." He looked up at Yemma, a dangerous gleam in his dark eyes. "I thought that a king and judge of the afterlife would give people a better chance at life."

Getting scolded by Goku, Yemma blushed deeply and glanced away. "Vegeta is on his way to hell anyway. Stopping the Shadow Demons from this is just a waste of time. I'm a busy man and I'll only give help to those who are indeed worthy."

Vegeta snorted bitterly but remained silent. Typical. With his bad luck, he wouldn't be surprised if Yemma sent him to Hell at this exact moment.

"But these monsters are planning to keep Vegeta within them for eternity," Bulma cried. "He doesn't deserve this. He's asking for your help, something Vegeta just doesn't do, and you're giving him no chance or help at all."

Yemma saw the worry and grief in the beautiful woman's eyes and he rolled his pencil impatiently, the wheels in his head spinning.

"Think of all the people he has killed."

"Under Frieza's demands. If he didn't, he'd be killed," Bulma replied sharply.

"He was evil at the age of three," the king snapped.

"This is pointless," Goku said. "Can you really live with yourself if you just allow demons from hell, creatures that you're supposed to control, wander around and torture and kill innocent lives. Even condemned souls deserve a fair trial and a second chance. By allowing these demons to hurt others who don't deserve it is truly an evil act."

King Yemma wanted to respond with a quick "Vegeta is evil," but knew that the blue-haired woman would just start screaming and all hell would break loose. He sighed.

"It can't be done."

Goku growled angrily at the stubborn man and opened his mouth to argue again but was cut off.

"It's alright, Kakerotto," Vegeta said softly.

Goku turned to see a confident, yet somewhat defeated expression on the prince's face.

"But, Vegeta."

"No, Kakerotto. He's made his mind. If the ruler of the afterlife sees this as an acceptable fate, then so be it." The prince gazed at King Yemma, feeling his chest tighten. "What about…what about death?"

"What do you mean?"

"What if I were to…die before these creature got me? Would Shadow Demons still be able to get their claws on me?"

There was a loud gasp and he didn't turn to see the horrified stares.

"You don't….you don't mean it, Vegeta," Bulma whispered through her hands. Could the confident, arrogant saiyajin be thinking that death was the only option?

Piccolo flashed back to what was said before they left to this spirit world. '"_That's why we're going to Otherworld," Piccolo spoke smoothly. "Like you said, nothing has been going ok…but you're still alive and I'd say that is pretty much ok."'_ He remembered that Vegeta was about to say something in defense. Was this what he was going reply with? Was he actually willing to take his own life?

"The Shadow Demons reside in Hell," Yemma replied flatly. "If you died, you'd be sending yourself straight into their hands."

Vegeta's dark eyes lowered and his gloved fists tightened. Of course…of course. Nothing would be solved.

"So be it," he whispered. "That's all then."

Vegeta turned and was surprised to see an angry Bulma standing before him. She raised and a hand and he thought she would hit him, but the shaking fingers came forward and caressed his soft cheeks. Tears brimmed her eyes and she threw herself into his chest. Feeling hotness rise in his face at the loving embrace in front of Piccolo, Kakerotto, Gohan, Dende, and Yamcha, Vegeta forced a gloved hand against her back. She was shaking as she cried into his white armor. Yemma felt guilt well up within him and he chewed his pencil anxiously.

"Oh, Vegeta!" Bulma wailed. "I refuse to have it happen. This is all too much. You don't deserve this."

The fighters of earth watched in shock as Vegeta's usual expression became softer and his eyes warmed. Pulling Bulma back he put on finger under her chin to raise her tear-stained face. She sniffled and shook.

Forcing a small smile Vegeta gave her a sideways stare. "You know things never work out in the end. At least not for me. Instead of cowering like a weak child as I've been doing this entire time, I am going to face these demons, Light Angel power or not," he explained, snapping a glare at King Yemma at the last part. Turning back to Bulma, his eyes softened. She could see the fear in his black orbs. He was trying to look confident, but she could see the desperate sadness and defeat staring at her. He was saying goodbye.

King Yemma watched as Bulma cried and hugged Vegeta tightly. He placed a hand on her head affectionately and another wave of guilt slammed into him. Things were definitely not going as planned. Everyone watched in shock as the two kissed briefly and Vegeta turned to Yemma.

"Explain. What is the exact way to get there?"

Yemma took a breath at the confidence and bravery the saiyajin was showing. He'd never known anyone to actually go straight into the lion's den and accept their fate. Facing the shadow demons was certain torture, death, and more if you were unlucky. And Vegeta was definitely an unlucky one.

"Simply jumping into the yellow clouds off of snake way will get you to hell. But to get to the planet of the shadow demons is a journey. Travel to the third level. To get there just keep jumping through similar clouds like the yellow ones up here."

Vegeta nodded and turned, but Goku grabbed his arm. The smaller saiyajin looked at Goku's face, only to see the larger fighter glaring at Yemma.

"I'm going too."

King Yemma spluttered and leaned forward. "But Goku! What if these things become interested in you, too?"

Goku made a noise of distaste in his mouth and he released Vegeta's arm. "You're allowing him to go and get killed by creatures of pure evil. A bit hypocritical, huh?"

"Yeah!" Yamcha chimed in. "How can you let evil beings like this travel around killing and torturing while saying it's all for the better?"

Finally having enough finger pointing and yelling Yemma let out a loud huff and glared at all the smaller ones below him. "Then take this!"

Holding out a large hand, a small blue light shimmered from his finger. It was the Light Angel power. The fighters stared at such a mystic power and Dende gently pushed Vegeta forward. Stepping up, the light was placed into his gloved hands.

"This is all I can do to help you now," the king explained. "Absorb this into your body and make sure you use it when necessary because it's not much. I'll….I'll send the rest of your friends to the actual planet of the producer so they can help. Hopefully they will reach you in time."

Piccolo stepped forward. "You mean you're sending us to the planet of the Light Angels?" Yemma nodded. "Then allow us to bring in more fighters. If we allow Vegeta to go now, he'll need more help than just a few of us. Krillen and Tien add much more power to the group."

The red king rubbed his temples at the forming headache. "So be it, but Goku." The kindhearted saiyajin looked at the ruler of the spirit realm. "Vegeta is to travel alone. You may help the others in finding the needed amount of power to stop the Shadow Demons."

"Aw, but King Yemma-"

"Goku! Vegeta is the one who wants to go on this mission and it's not your place. No _innocent_ lives need to be ruined because of this."

Vegeta sneered at the emphasis on the word innocent and turned away. He would have preferred to have Goku at his side, but asking for the fool's help was not something he was willing to do. He'd acted a coward and a weakling since this whole thing started and now it was time to renew himself and get his confidence back. He knew that Kakerotto would understand his saiyajin mind, too. Feeling a soft hand on his elbow he stopped.

"Be careful, Vegeta," Bulma murmured, her voice shaking. She was almost sure this was the last time she'd see her handsome prince. His fate within the shadow demons was too much to bear and tears began to stream down her face.

The armored soldier ignored the other fools watching him and hugged the weak woman. Breathing in her scented blue hair he whispered in her ear. "Even if I don't come back and never see you again…even if I'm tortured for an eternity, it'll be you who keeps me sane and you who will distract me from my pain."

Squeezing her eyes shut, Bulma began to weep, hugging her prince tighter. A few of the viewers looked away, feeling their own sadness well up. Finally, the two came apart and Vegeta wiped a tear off Bulma's cheek. Turning, his head held high, he began to walk from the small building.

"We'll hurry back as fast as we can," Gohan called out to him, convincing himself that they would return in time to stop the demons from hurting him.

"Try to stay hidden and attack only when necessary," Yamcha said. "Good…good luck, Vegeta."

They watched the blue-clad figure disappear around the corner. Piccolo turned to the others, his stomach churning nervously. "We had better get back to earth to get Tien and Krillen as fast as we can."

Dende ran up to the earth warriors. He looked at Bulma. "You coming?"

Bulma shook her head and tried to give him a small smile. "I'm waiting here for any news that's to come."

The small Namek gave her a confident smile and the larger namek, human, and demi-saiyajin flickered and disappeared. Goku draped a long arm around Bulma's shoulder. The small woman felt a warmth rise within her as usual whenever the kind man comforted her.

"Why couldn't he have waited?" Bulma asked, knowing too well, he was too thickheaded and strong willed to wait for help. He needed to prove himself and prove his power. But also, he needed to prove the strength and pride he had to himself.

"He'll make it. Vegeta won't be lost," Goku said, his voice so sure that Bulma knew he was telling the truth.

The blue-haired beauty rested her head on his shoulder and sighed. This was going to be a long day.

Passing through the yellow clouds was a strange experience, but Vegeta was distracted as a building panic formed within his chest. He had just sent himself into hell. And passing through the yellow clouds as black, hand like forms gripped him painfully and pulled him lower, didn't help ease his tension either.

When he had died, there was nothing but blackness for a long time. The pain he received from Frieza was gone, and it felt as if his body was too. All that remained was a clouded mind, wondering where he was. It felt like forever that he rested in this black nothingness, but it was calming. His pain, his grief, his defeat, it was all gone. Then he was flung forward, landing painfully in a numb body. He was sitting before King Yemma's large red face, him gazing at the prince with a triumphant, smug expression. So he was glad he was finally dead. He was glad that he finally had Prince Vegeta, the arrogant murderer of planets. Lifting his gavel, Vegeta watched silently as the words "You're going to Hell" rested on the great king's lips, but then the man's eyes widened in shock. Vegeta felt himself shimmering and fading and then boom! His mouth was filled with dirt, he choked and gagged as sudden panic took hold. He was buried alive. In a panic he clawed his way out, using all the strength he had until a cold breeze swept across his ripped glove. And then he pulled himself out of the Namek dirt and breathed. His living lungs breathed and he was given his second chance.

The ground became clear underneath Vegeta and he felt a sudden surprise at the fact that he was floating down to the land he was destined for when he died. That is, if he made it to his death in a natural way. Landing gracefully, Vegeta's white boots touched the red rocks below. He was surprised and actually somewhat relieved. So this was hell. Looking around he saw that the sky was yellow, the bottom of clouds that he just fell from. Parts of the ground were covered with a variety of red rocks and gray rocks, but the grass was green. And squinting in the distance he saw what looked like a large pool of blood. Small clouds like the ones up at King Yemma's check in station shot around playfully. Also in the distance he noted small ogres of blue and red skin and larger ones carrying big clubs.

"This is hell?" Vegeta asked himself, a disbelieving smirk on his face.

Perhaps the fact of being forced to stay in such an embarrassingly strange place was the punishment. Moving forward Vegeta made his way toward a small, Japanese looking dojo where a group of ogres stood. Conversations ceased as the dopey guards saw the stranger approach. Seeing no halo above the tall spiky hair, they turned to him curiously.

"Heh, lost?" One asked. The group around the snobby little, red-faced ogre laughed. Vegeta smirked along with them and crossed his arms. He found it strange that these creatures of hell didn't even know who he was. Well, that would change.

"You could say that. I'm trying to figure out how to get to the third level of this place. Where are the clouds to grant me access?"

The beastly men looked at each other and laughed some more. One giant guard carrying a club stepped forward.

"No one can make it to that level of hell, and even if you could, you'd never make it."

Vegeta's eyebrow twitched at the condescending tone. "I'd like to take that challenge, so tell me where to go."

A sneaky muscular demon ogre stepped forward. Pushing his black glasses up he let out a high-pitched laugh. It was an annoying "hee hee hee" that angered Vegeta to no end.

"A challenge, eh?" He said. "Well, just to let you know, my friend and I are the best at winning challenges. Care for a race against me or a wrestling match against Gozz?"

Sighing Vegeta let his hands fall to his sides. "I really have no time for this. How about I just blast you all away and then you tell me how to get there?"

The crowd laughed again and the arrogant saiyajin felt a grin starting to appear.

"Oh please!" The nerdy looking ogre chuckled. "I Mezz, and my friend Gozz can never be defeated."

His blue skinned friend crept forward and tapped the red skinned creature on his big shoulder. "Actually, we were defeated before that one guy…Goku, remember?"

Vegeta's eyes widened and he glanced at both dopey guards. "Kakerotto? Ha! If he could so easily defeat you I could take you out with one stare."

"Oh, and why's that?"

With a grin Vegeta raised his fists up. "Because, unlike your precious Goku who is only a third class baka, I am a saiyajin elite…Prince Vegeta!"

There was a moment of silence before the whole group started cackling like idiots. One of the smaller, scrawny creatures pointed his finger at the armored prince and laughed.

"Prince Vegeta! Ha ha ha! Vegeta, the destroying of galaxies is known to be eight feet tall, have giant muscles of steel, a tail, and can become a huge ape-like creature without hesitation. You…you…" his sentence broke off into crazed laughter.

The arrogant saiyajin smiled, making himself laugh with the crowd. His blue covered shoulders shook as he, too, roared with laughter along with the stupid oafs. Bringing his energy up as fast as he could, Vegeta sent a wave of energy at the colorful group sending them flying and screaming through the air and landing with a splash in the bloody lake. Hearing them spluttering and choking he wiped his nose playfully and turned. Walking down a rocky hill, Vegeta took in his surroundings looking for any sign of clouds on the lower level. Stopping he looked to his left and right seeing nothings but giant metallic spheres that held huge spikes. Sighing he kicked a rock with his gold-tipped boot. Not really caring too much that he couldn't find the haunted planet of death, Vegeta took his time in touring the strange land in which he was going to end up. Feeling a familiar power creep up behind him he stopped.

"Well, well, long time no see my little pet."

Closing his eyes at the feminine, taunting voice, Vegeta tightened his fists. Even with his enormous power, Vegeta felt his stomach churn at the cold voice that haunted his past and he turned. It was like a strange nightmare as Vegeta looked at the pale, white lizard standing before him, his long tail swinging behind him. Red eyes pierced his black ones as the two adversaries stared each other down.

"It has been a while, Frieza," Vegeta replied. "Having fun in this happy little universe along with all the other weak warriors I've helped send here?"

The weak insult did little to faze the black-lipped tyrant and he crossed his small arms. The yellow clouds reflected off the purple shine on his skin and the tail swept back and forth as if to remind the prince of his death against him. Rage slowly began to fill the short saiyajin, but he kept his expression blank and cold, a trick he learned from living in the nightmare of Frieza's world for so long.

"Yes, seeing as how I am one of the most strongest here I am having a fun little time," he replied. "Yes the beings that Goku was able to destroy when you failed have kept me great company."

Letting the insult sail over him Vegeta stared at the beast that had ruined his life.

"So, what brings you here, little prince?"

Vegeta looked at his gloves calmly and swept them across his armor. "Oh, just on a little mission." Bringing his dark eyes up again he stared seriously at the one who had a great time tormenting him as a youngster. "The Shadow Demons…remember them?"

The surprise that passed across Frieza's childish features could not be missed. Covering up quickly Vegeta felt his anger burn at him as the lizard's small shoulders shook with laughter.

"Oh yes, you had quite the adventure against them if I recall. I was quite disappointed in that whole incident. I came so close to losing my precious pet that day."

Vegeta couldn't hide the growl that erupted from his throat. A satisfied smirk appeared on Frieza's face and the prince glared at him.

"But do tell me, prince. Why are you on such a fun mission now?"

Feeling no reason to lie to the androgynous beast Vegeta crossed his arms. "They have returned. I admit I don't know why or how they managed to find me, but they've returned for me and now I'm going straight there to take them all down."

Laughing his cruel, high-pitched cackle Frieza shook his head. "Stupid and brash as always, Vegeta. You have no idea about these monsters and yet here you are jumping right into a trap."

Feeling the need to rip the little shit's head off, Vegeta took a few calming breaths to hear what the freak was saying. Even having the power and opportunity to end Frieza's life, Vegeta felt his trained mind make him stand quietly and heed his master's voice. It disgusted him and made him want to die of shame, but he would hear him out and see if he had anything important to say.

"A trap, huh?" He replied confidently. "You know about them as much as I do."

"Or so you think," Frieza snapped. "Honestly, do you think that I, a planet purger, seller, trader would know nothing about a planet I sent someone to invade? I did my research and after spending a long enough time down here, I know more than you'll ever know."

Vegeta's eyebrow twitched at the interesting comment. Frieza could see his interest and continued.

"When I sent you to invade the horrid planet I was told that the beings on the wretched rock had the strange powers of demons. Then you had a bitching fit and insisted on going on this mission alone. Well, I'm sure you remember. I just wanted you out of my sight so I let you go without the proper protection. Once I had you safely back on my ship, I went to investigate these so-called weird creatures, finding that they had all vanished. No power source, no life, nothing on this rock of a planet. It was as if it didn't even exist. So I blew the wretched thing. My scientists told me that no life source was even capable of living on this world. No living, breathing thing could have inhabited this planet. And even more to my surprise was that the planet itself was detected as being nothing but a rock no bigger than a Z-X moon."

Vegeta's eyes narrowed. A Z-X moon was miniscule, about the size of King Kai's planet. When he had arrived it was much, much bigger. If all this was true, then most of the planet was just an-

"Illusions. That's all these creatures are good for. Talking more to my little lab techs, we figured out that it seemed a part of this entire planet was some kind of illusion or somehow existed in another dimension and projected itself into our dimension. These creatures can keep their bodies in-"

"Two physical plains at once," Vegeta ended. "So if you blasted these bastards back to hell, why has it taken them so long to track me down?"

Frieza closed his eyes and grinned. "Alas, questions I cannot answer. All I know is that they've been sent out to get you."

Vegeta's eyes widened and he stared at Frieza intensely. "Sent out after me? You mean to tell me they are hunters…commissioned killers?"

The grin faded and Frieza crossed his arms. He hesitated before answering, choosing his words carefully. "That's what I've gathered. But what I know I cannot answer."

Vegeta stepped forward. "Don't tell me it was you who sent them after me."

Frieza let out a cruel laugh and sent his red eyes sweeping over Vegeta's solid frame. "You think I would go through the trouble of finding someone or something to assassinate you? I've had enough fun with you in my lifetime. If I wanted revenge on anyone, it would be that monkey Kakerotto or the purple-haired pussy with the sword."

His gloved fists tightening at the cold words directed toward his son Vegeta growled angrily.

"Now if you truly want to get yourself tortured all over again and swept into a horrid hell for the rest of your existence, then by all means, travel over the two hills to your left and there you will find the clouds to level two. After that simply hop over a blood lake to the second bout of clouds. There is the third level, but I can't give you any directions after that."

Frieza watched at the satisfied glance of the saiyajin and felt his confidence rise, knowing that Vegeta was heading straight into death. Smirking cruelly the large white tail rose and waved in front of him, a taunt that always sent the prince into a frenzy of rage.

"I was actually worried when we found you on that icy planet on the verge of death," he admitted, making Vegeta look at him with a slight confused expression. "I knew, even at the age of six and a half that you'd grow to be an attractive young fighter. I was saddened at the fact that I was about to lose a future whore. But luckily that pill worked. Luckily, your foolish friend Radditz convinced you to live your pathetic life under me…and I mean under me." The insane laugh came out again. Vegeta's shadowed gaze merely watched the sadistic tyrant cackle. "Oh Vegeta, as you cried at my feet so many times, you never really became anything you said you would be. You weren't the first super-saiyajin, you never defeated me, and you have never beaten an enemy who came to invade your new home planet. So, now I wish you luck on your journey to your eternal death. As all the other monkeys, you will set up your own death, blinded by false ideas of victory and domination."

The lizard smirked and slowly turned keeping his red eyes on the scowling saiyajin, waiting for him to leave, but was caught off guard when he heard a deep chuckle. So used to taunting his pet and winning arguments against the easily enrage prince, he was reminded at how he had changed and become much stronger. Remaining cool, with a calm façade, he tried to ignore his heart beginning to race. The armored saiyajin unfolded his arms and glared at the evil beast with a cold, dangerous grin.

"I am in a bit of a hurry, Frieza," he spoke slowly, making the pale lizard hang on his every word. "But I have been waiting years for this. As you know, I always got more and more out of control after a stressful moment in my life. After beatings, taunts, rapes, scoldings, and humiliation the number of planets and peoples I destroyed was astounding. You remember this, yes?"

Feeling a shrill of fear, Frieza nodded, struggling to keep a confident mask.

"Well, all this terror, pain, and memories of the Shadow Demons have not been easy. I've been sitting around feeling worthless, scared, and helpless for too long…and it's time to let my energy out."

Walking forward slowly, loving every moment of fear growing within Frieza's eyes made the saiyajin adrenaline run. The spill of blood was ever present in his almost feverish mind. The white lizard stumbled back and raised his fists.

"Kakerotto may have been the first one to defeat you. My son Trunks may have been the first to kill you. But I will be the one to end you forever. You know what happens to a soul once it's killed again?"

Frieza clenched his teeth and crouched into a fighting stance. An insane grin spread across Vegeta's face. This position was always so familiar in his past; only he was always the one in the defensive stance.

"The soul disappears forever, as if it never existed. There are no thoughts, no memories, nothing, as if you were never here. How does that grab you? How does it feel to know that I will rip you apart, tear you limb from limb, and sweep your blood across the land? You reminisce about torturing me, beating me, humiliating me, raping me…well guess what? You'll never have another thought ever again. But before you die again, you will know that it was I, Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyajins who ended you for good!"

Frieza stared in horror as the crazed saiyajin stepped quicker toward him. Frieza stepped back, sweat running down his face. Holding up a hand he gasped.

"Wait, wait, I can help you defeat these things. I have more information. You see, King Yemma-"

A gloved hand shot forward and clamped around his gaping mouth. Now taller than his once, cruel master, Vegeta grinned maliciously as he lifted the small tyrant up by his face. He felt pleased to hear pained grunts and pants from under his strong hand.

"I'm tired of all your lies and talking," Vegeta snarled, tightening his hand until purple blood leaked out from under his pressing fingers. "I know I don't need to turn super-saiyajin to end your worthless, horrid life, but I want you to see me, the child who's life you destroyed, the one you told would never accomplish anything, especially the legend of the super-saiyajin, transform right before your beady, red eyes."

The power around Frieza's face increased and a muffled shriek echoed across the dark hell as golden light lit up the area. Vegeta threw Frieza away, sending the pale being into a rock, shattering it instantly. The true joy Vegeta felt in this annihilation was exhilarating. For years he had imagined torturing the lizard, tearing him limb from limb, and standing triumphant drenched in his tormentor's blood, and now it was happening.

Frieza tried to pull himself out of the rubble, but the force from the enraged prince was astounding. He knew for a fact that Vegeta's power always increased tremendously when he was infuriated and now he crouched before a transformed super-saiyajin Vegeta. He had tormented the boy so much in younger years. He knew that he couldn't fight the shattered prince, but he would send the insults full blast before he did. He would make Vegeta know that it was all his work and influence that caused him to be the way he was now.

The glowing saiyajin vanished suddenly and before Frieza could react, he felt his world shatter as a sharp elbow nailed him the back of his neck. And it didn't stop there, Vegeta's hand held the back of his smooth head and the powerful fist pounded into his face over and over again. With one final jack to the face Frieza flew back with a pained shriek and slid across the jagged rocks. Hearing footsteps of the rabid saiyajin there were about ten hits before he knew what was happening. Ribs shattering and skin breaking, Vegeta's eyes glowed with a crazed glee as purple blood splattered across his face. Frieza lay curled up at his feet coughing up a glob of almost black blood.

Vegeta stood over him, feeling great satisfaction at the position Frieza was in. Pushing back memories of his own form laying just like this so many times before, he grinned. A clawed hand reached out and gripped his white boot. Coughing Frieza gasped.

"This will be your one time," he hissed. "I have so many against you. I have so many more memories of you bleeding at my feet, whimpering pain, and screaming in agony as I tore you up inside and out. And this is your one time. This is only one time against all mine."

Vegeta's icy green eyes narrowed as he stood over the pained creature. "Then I better make it count," he whispered, his voice hardly sounding like his own.

A panicky dread overcame Frieza and his bleeding form trembled. Vegeta raised his boot high, shaking off Frieza's clutching hand, the gold tip glowing with anxious energy. Crashing down the super-saiyajin slammed down into the gasping lizard's already broken ribs. The land around them exploded into scream of pain. Reaching down Vegeta gripped the frail being by his narrow throat and hurled him toward the spiked spears in the distance. Red eyes opened wide with fear and Frieza managed to stop himself as he slid near the dangerous spikes. On all fours and gasping he raised his head, blood dripping from black lips as he growled furiously at the walking prince.

"Nothing but a damn monkey," he hissed under his breath.

The golden assassin approaching flashed suddenly and disappeared. Squeezing his eyes shut, he hoped that something had happened, hoped that King Yemma or some other mystical force had stopped the rampaging saiyajin, but these thoughts were quickly proved false as he was shoved roughly against a smooth surface in between jagged thorns on the spike ball. With a grunt, Frieza felt himself lifted and thrown from the spot, landing painfully in the shredded grass and hard rocks. A bleary red eye opened and Freiza winced as he heard feet approaching.

Vegeta was ten times…no twenty times stronger than Goku when he first transformed into super-saiyajin. But of course, Vegeta had about seven years of transformation experience behind him and had vastly improved after the hyperbolic time room, battling against Cell, and training up until this moment.

A haunting shadow blocked out any light resting on the shattered form of the cruel ice-jin and he clenched his teeth bitterly.

"Remember the creative ways you used to torture me?" The ghostly voice asked. Frieza remained silent as humiliation and fear swept over him. "You'd find anything to beat me with. My tail was your favorite. After so many years of agonizing torment it eventually became desensitized. Hm…I wonder if that's capable of your tail?"

Gasping at the thought of someone hurting his precious tail, Frieza summoned all the power he had left and flew into the air. Swinging around he threw his bony fist forward, directly aiming at the glaring face of his now tormentor. Catching it easily in his gloved fist, Vegeta applied pressure until Frieza's knees buckled and he let out a scream. Remembering so many times that the lizard had done this to him, Vegeta crushed all the bones in his hand effortlessly. Shoving Frieza onto his stomach Vegeta slammed one foot into the sculpted pale back. Screaming again Frieza tried to crawl away but Vegeta pressed harder, glad to hear the crunching of the lower ribs.

Letting out a high-pitched shriek he gasped as powerful hands gripped the base of his long, white tail. Squirming to get out from under the white boot, Frieza coughed up some blood from the effort. The ribs that had broken were stabbing into his lungs. Vegeta licked his lips and pulled. Frieza screamed and screamed in agony as the vengeful saiyajin slowly tore the flinging, waving limb away from the body. The pain blinded Frieza as the white skin tore and purple blood pooled out from the tearing of muscle, tissue, and bone until it eventually squirted from the now severed tail. His voice now raw form screaming so much, his vision faded slightly as he lay gasping in dirt and coughing.

Instinctively, the now tailless ice-jin curled into a ball and shook in agony. Vegeta held the large tail that had tormented him for so long, strangled the life from him, and smacked him in the face so many times. The purple blood leaking from the severed limb swirled around his boots, but he did nothing to move away.

"Now, if you were me, what would you have done next? Something truly horrific I imagine."

Grabbing the tail at the narrow end, Vegeta raised it above his head and brought it down, sending the bloody, torn base crashing into Frieza's head. After repeating the action several times, he moved the tail around in his gloved finger so he was now holding the thick end. Freiza lay below him, groaning and whimpering at his now aching head, which bled profusely from the attack. The whimpers soon became short gasps as Vegeta continued to whip the pointed, narrow end of the tail against his small back until bloody slashes appeared. Streaks of blood formed and Frieza hollered and cried in agony as his own, whip-like tail lashed his back. Feeling his muscles and skin burst from the repeated action he convulsed and began to vomit from the sheer horror of it.

Stopping abruptly and tossing the torturous device away Vegeta circled the twitching tyrant arrogantly. There was no smile or smirk on his tan face, just an empty scowl, a true face of one who was tormented and cruel. The bleeding mass that lay before him placed one shaking hand on the now purple rocks. A swollen red eye gazed at Vegeta with pure hatred. Ice-cold green eyes stared back.

"I'll bet your glad you taught me all this now, eh, Frieza?"

Feeling a rising bout of rage Frieza growled and spat out a glob of purple blood. Using all the strength he could muster, the once ruler of the universe pushed himself up with weak shaking arms. Vegeta watched as the pathetic mess managed to stand on his feet, wobbling back and forth from the loss of blood and unbalance of no tail. Keeping his expression cold, Vegeta waited for the miserable puke to speak.

"I am glad I taught you all this, monkey," he spat, blood oozing out of his mouth. Growing numb now, the small fighter could barely notice the streams of blood running from his back down his pale legs. "When was the last time you killed, boy? I bet this is the first time in a long time you've actually killed someone in such a fashion. How does it feel that you're enjoying this? How does it feel to know that it was because of me, my influence that you are standing here now? You're nothing but a killing machine, a slave to evil, my slave, no matter what. You, Vegeta, are no saiyajin prince. I doubt you even remember the saiyajins, having become my _slave_ for so long and so young. You're nothing like a saiyajin. They only killed when needed and if forced. You…ha ha ha…you enjoyed it. You enjoy it now. You're a freak, an outcast! You became what I made you. You're nothing but evil and darkness in the face of everything that is good and light. And it was all because of me. You, Vegeta, are nothing but an exploited weapon, a puppet, and it will be I who gets the last laugh."

The air exploded into wild laughter and cackles as the bleeding tyrant taunted the prince. Vegeta's body shook in rage, hearing the words he had heard his whole life. His eyesight soon became clouded with a dull haze of red and a wild snarl erupted from him. As if in a trance, his large hand wrapped around Frieza's exposed throat. The laughter quickly halted as Vegeta lifted him up, barely feeling the warm drops of blood landing on his face. Squeezing harder, Frieza's small mouth dropped open as he gasped for breath.

Hurling the lizard into the ground as hard as he could, the dirt cracked and a small crater was formed. In a flash the armored prince straddled the white devil beneath him. His hands wrapped around the throat once again. Frieza's eyes were wide and becoming blood shot. A red stain passed across the white cheeks and the lizard stared into the wide, green eyes of a crazed killer.

"No…Nothing but…an exploited weapon," a raspy voice gasped. "Mon-monkey."

Feeling pressure inside his mouth suddenly, Frieza hardly realized that the gloves were no longer around his throat, but inside his gasping, parted lips. Fingers pinched his tongue and with one jerk of the hand, half of the purple muscle was torn out. Screaming hysterically Frieza twisted and seized under the heavy saiyajin. Blood ran from his mouth and his teeth became stained with almost black blood. Bringing up his purple stained gloves, Vegeta began to slam his fists into Frieza's face over and over again until sprays of flesh and blood lifted with his own insane hands. The crazed anger that had swept over Vegeta was still there and he pressed one powerful hand against the squirming ice-jin's face. Feeling the cheekbones and jaws under his glove he began to tighten his hold until a muffled cry resonated through his head. Squeezing harder, tears of agony began to pour out of Frieza's red eyes. Feeling no shock or remorse at the awesome sight, Vegeta crushed the porcelain face until his fingers disappeared under the bruised, torn skin.

Rabid, clawed hands scratched at his arms, tearing through his blue spandex material, but he wasn't there. As Vegeta tortured the creature underneath him, all he saw were his own beatings, rapes and tortures. Flashes of Frieza's icy hands on him, touching him where he didn't want to be touched, laughter echoing through his head as Zarbon and Ginyu Force and Dadoria joined in. His world spun into a complete hell of nightmares as Frieza's screams became his own as the Shadow Demons tortured him, as the ones he loved were destroyed so easily in one blast, as he saw himself losing everything he had ever worked to achieve, and so many more.

Losing his grip as exhaustion hit suddenly, Vegeta fell back and sat in the crater that he had sent Frieza into. The lizard demon was convulsing, his halo bobbing up and down as he choked for breath, the once white skin now covered with purple blood. His face was barely recognizable as blood, tissue, and broken bones stuck out from the skin. The cheekbones and jaws were shattered and blood pooled from his mouth from the torn tongue. Vegeta was shaking and he looked at his blood stained gloves. Slowly gazing up in shock at the fallen tyrant he felt his stomach clench. Frieza's face was a mask of pure horror and pain, wide red eyes staring up at the sky and his mouth open and gasping.

Standing shakily Vegeta made his way over to the creature that had controlled and ruined his life for so long and stared into a face that was identical to his in so many ways after a severe beating. The red eyes looked past him as death approached, but suddenly snapped right at him. Green eyes stared into red and Vegeta felt a sudden gnawing terror begin to rise up within him. His shaking became worse and he tried to figure out why he didn't feel ecstatic or elated. He couldn't understand why he wasn't rejoicing. Why? Why did this feeling of disgust, failure, and horror suddenly force itself on him?

The blackened mouth of the one below him opened and closed like a fish. Jerking as death neared Frieza managed to nod his damaged head.

"I….see," he whispered past the splintered tongue.

Vegeta's eyes widened. Frieza had seen. He had accidentally sent all his memories and emotions into the lizard as he crushed his face and drained his life. He made the beast see and feel everything that had tormented and terrified Vegeta. The saiyajin watched as the red eyes slowly paled until they became a faded pink. Still twitching and gasping at each dying breath, the once, all-powerful emperor held his young slave in his eyes. Vegeta stared, not able to turn away at all.

_'Just because I die, doesn't mean I'm gone, monkey,'_ the dying lizard spoke into Vegeta's mind. _'As long as you're alive, I am still alive. I have…won…slave…monkey.'_

And then, the gasping lizard's head fell to the side, glazed eyes blank and lifeless. The glowing white form against all the blackness around it laid in a pool of its own blood as a shaking, terrified prince stood next to it. Vegeta had done it. He had ended Frieza's life once and for all and the evil ruler was never to be seen or heard from again.

_'Whoo! Finally, this chapter is complete. Sorry that it's so long, but I hoped you liked it. After "Dark Past" and parts of "Too Many Voices" I always had so many requests for Vegeta's revenge against Frieza, so I decided to put it in this story! Let me know what you think, thanks!'_


	9. Closer

'Ah yes, don't worry; this story isn't anywhere near finished yet. Sorry, it has taken so long, though. Lets, see, I noticed there was a bit of confusion after the last chapter and I'm glad it was brought up. Indeed, in many parts of the actual show, characters that are dead are seen taking holes in the stomach and getting their asses beat and not "dying", but I decided to go by the rules that are spoken during the Buu saga. When Goku is telling Vegeta to be careful while fighting Kid Buu, he tells him to make sure not to die, because he can do nothing to bring him back. Goku says that since he dead, if he were destroyed, it would be like he never existed; gone completely. So, as opposed to certain parts of DBZ where characters can pretty much be destroyed completely and just get some band-aids and "live", I decided that it was time to kill Frieza and make him dead for good, even if that isn't correct. Thanks for pointing that out Clarobell, and now…on with the horror!'

Chapter 9

How much time passed he couldn't tell. He could only stare. He could only stare at the mass of blood and tissue that his hands had created. The small, weak, childlike being that had tortured him and ruined him for so many years was gone. He was dead and gone for good.

So why? Why did it hurt? Where was the happiness, the ecstasy, the gloating, laughing, cheering, bragging, grinning? He deserved this dammit! Vegeta, Prince of all Saiyajins, slave for so many years to Lord Frieza deserved this. He should feel happiness. Giddiness and glee should have filling him, but no. It was just an ache, a deep-seeded throb of anxiety and fear and…disgust? But why? He'd fought him all these years. Frieza destroyed his life and made him into what he was. He took everything from him and more, so why…WHY? He deserved the excitement, the victory, the overwhelming feeling of success and joy.

But no. Here stood the armored saiyajin, dripping with entrails and purple blood. His face was ice-cold and empty. Blank eyes pierced into the limp, lifeless form of his former master. His chest heaved and his throat burned as he felt his body and mind breaking down.

He had killed so many during his life. He killed innocents and didn't feel half of the agony he felt now. He slaughtered women, children, and people of all strengths and weaknesses, and felt no remorse, no…defeat. Was it guilt he felt now? Ha! Guilt. Not likely. Vegeta didn't feel that emotion. Dark, black eyes stared. Stared at the death that lay at his feet. But he could feel guilt. He felt guilty whenever Bulma shed a tear. He felt guilty when ones he actually cared for screamed at him or told him how much they hated him after he had angered them. He felt guilty that Kakerotto had died.

The filthy once white gloves tightened. Yes…guilt he could feel. He knew what it was and how it felt, and what he felt now was not it. So what then? A churning nausea of fear settled deep within his bones and chilled him in the humid heat of Hell.

Closing his eyes, Vegeta concentrated and looked deep within himself. Going over the recent events he began to piece the problem together. Of course the whole fact that he sent all of his memories and feelings into the white lizard did not settle well. A stupid act like that humiliated and shamed him to no end. But again….why? Frieza was dead and couldn't remember any of it now. Perhaps it was the fact that the lizard tyrant knew how awful it was. Vegeta had seen the shadowy terror in the red eyes of his former master and he knew that Frieza understood what he went through. Shouldn't that make him feel better? Shouldn't that have made some of his revenge and hatred ease?

The bleeding mass of flesh wouldn't answer his questions. He had a mission to go on and he knew that a job such as the Shadow Demons needed to be the only thing focused on. But still, Vegeta felt his mind racing and his stomach churning. So the bastard actually felt his terror and disgust and shame. Frieza deserved it. Even reasoning with himself wasn't helping at all. The saiyajin stood in the dreary land of hell, trying to gather himself together, but nothing was working. He simply could not take his dark eyes away from the lifeless, shriveled being before him.

"Hey!" A shrill voice called. "You're not supposed to be over here. You're—Ahhh!"

Turning slowly, the blood covered saiyajin glared at a small, blue ogre who had unfortunately traveled over the hill and happened upon this mess. Normally Vegeta would have smiled as he imagined what the little worker must have been thinking. Here stood an extremely powerful, blood and slime covered saiyajin, staring with eyes that could easily kill. But his heart wasn't in for smiling, so a deadly glare just settled on his features instead.

The now shaking blue ogre grabbed the horn on the side of his head and stared in shock at the blood all over. Peering past the haunting saiyajin, the poor worker could see the fleshy remains of one of the most powerful creatures in hell. Backing up, the trembling demon stumbled slightly and spun on heel. Shrieking, Vegeta watched as the goofy ogre ran from the scene and back over the hill.

"He's killed Frieza!" The spastic voice cried. "He's dead! Ohhh….God…" the screaming grew quieter as the funny creature ran away for obvious backup and Vegeta sighed.

He had to be on his way now for sure. He just didn't have the energy to fight off any rampaging ogres and demons. Vegeta certainly did not want to head toward the land of the Shadow Demons, but he knew he must. He wasn't going to be some weak coward and wait for them to find him, and he certainly wasn't going to allow himself to be dragged back up to Yemma already for brutally murdering someone. The red-faced ogre already had it in for him.

Vegeta turned back and peered down at the broken planet-trader at his slimy boots. His face, cold and calculating, concentrated on the torn body. Raising a hand up slowly, Vegeta felt the same fearful anxiety crawl throughout his body. Bringing his energy forward, Vegeta felt the warmth of his power begin to form in his gloved palm.

"And just like that you're gone," the weary prince mumbled. "Once so powerful. Once so evil and cruel, you had everything. Now…now you're just a forgotten tyrant. Now, you only live on in the hearts and minds of those you destroyed."

And with that, the yellow energy in his small hand shot from his palm and incinerated the little form that had lain before him. Frieza was finally gone. The explosion sent a wave of smoke and dirt into the handsome saiyajin's face, but he did nothing to brush it away. The brown-red smog flitted around his dirty face and then settled. As it did so, Vegeta could feel it tumbling down his cheek obnoxiously. Grunting in annoyance he tried to flick it away, only to find that as he drew his gloved finger back, it was wet. He was crying.

"There he is!"

Vegeta whipped around to see the same crowd of ogres he had thrown into the bloody pond gaping at him from the top of the hill. He snarled angrily and brushed off his face quickly.

"Where's Frieza?" One of them asked the small blue one.

"He was right there! He was right at that guy's feet!" The goofy short one cried as he pointed. "He blasted him."

"Hey, you can't go around killing people!"

"Yeah," Gozz screamed. "This is Hell."

Rising up cold, dark eyes, Vegeta glared at them. They stood there and shook nervously for a minute or two before one of the larger ogres lifted his large, spiky club.

"Come on guys. We gotta get this guy to Yemma! Charge!"

Vegeta merely watched with exasperation as about six or seven burly, dumb guards ran straight for him.

"Shit."

Turning quickly, Vegeta powered up to super-saiyajin and blasted off, heading toward darker land that hid in the shadows. He could hear the angry shouts fade behind him as he tore into a strange forest of spiky black trees. His mind was racing again. Tears. TEARS! Clenching his teeth together he sped up as if wanting to out-speed his memories and thoughts. This was not his week.

…………..

It definitely was boring at the building that rested on Snake Way as Bulma and Goku restlessly sat against the wall of the check in station. Goku's blue boots clicked together as he sighed in boredom. Both characters had given full events of their happenings and situations during their time spent away from one another. Goku had explained that Otherworld time moved much quicker than earth time and how he had seen so much in his short time there. Bulma wished her news was that fun-filled and exciting. Nope, she had regaled him with the story of Vegeta's terror and torture and the past few hours of horror she and her lover had to go through. Just explaining it made Bulma exhausted.

Goku patted her shoulder and she rested her head on his.

"It's good to see you again, Goku. When Piccolo and Gohan get back with everyone, you're going to be a lot of help."

Neither of them noticed the nervous twitch of Yemma's eyebrow as he stamped some papers huffily and passed some clouds into heaven.

"Everything will be ok, Bulma," Goku told her reassuringly. "Vegeta is so strong, and once we get the Light Angel power, everything is going to work out just fine."

Bulma nodded and closed her eyes, feeling immensely tired as the recent occurrences caught up with her. Feeling herself dozing off, she shifted so she rested against her large friend more comfortably.

"Be careful, Vegeta," she mumbled.

Goku frowned and stared into the peaceful features of his beautiful friend. His eyes rose and he stared at the ceiling of the small shelter.

'Do be careful, Vegeta,' he thought nervously. 'We can't lose you.'

…………….

Racing past thorny woods and spheres full of jagged spikes, Vegeta flew. He left the clueless ogres in the dust, but his heart was racing and his mind was telling him to hurry. He had to hurry. He had to hurry to his death. Coming to a quick halt, the super-saiyajin powered down and tried to suck in some humid air. The prince knew that he wasn't in control and needed to focus before heading straight into the hands of the demons that wanted to torture and kill him. Clearing his mind, with much difficulty, of Frieza and his twisted squirming feelings, his gloved hand reached up and wiped some sweat from his bloodied brow. He'd concentrate on his warring emotions later.

'If there even is a later,' he thought bitterly. 'Then again, when I'm within Walcon's mind forever I'll have plenty of time to think.'

Growling angrily, Vegeta threw his fist forward and punched the nearby tree. The blackened hunk of wood shuttered and splintered as twigs and debris fell on the fuming prince.

Vegeta's fist remained in a tight ball as his breath came in rushed and ragged. He did not have time for incessant fear and doubt. He was Vegeta, dammit! He was the prince of all Saiyajins and he was not about to go into a battle with cowardice, terror, and self-doubt in his heart. Dark eyes rose and he stared into the cloudy, yellow sky as his breath slowed. He could do this. He would do this and the stupid shadow demons of his past were going to pay.

Bringing forth his energy again, Vegeta blasted off through the woods in a much calmer demeanor. Flying past darkened shadows and haunting lands, the keen vision of the saiyajin could see a yellow light glowing ahead. With a triumphant smirk, he sped forward and found a large, gaping hole in the center of the shadowed land. Yellow clouds hovered within the hole and he knew that this was the entrance to the second level. Landing swiftly, Vegeta's shadowed face peered into the mist, his stomach churning nervously. This was going to bring him one step closer to the land of the Shadow Demons and he was not looking forward to it. Gazing up slightly he sighed.

'Hurry you ningens. As much as I hate to say this, I could actually use your help.'

Hopping up with light booted feet, the dainty prince descended down into the yellow mist, unsuspecting of the horrors that lay in this second level of Hell. He shivered slightly as the black shadows that resided within the clouds wrapped around his limbs and pulled him deeper into the mist. It felt as if several minute passed before his feet finally touched rough, red, sandy ground. Ducking down, Vegeta exited the low hanging clouds and walked forward until he had a clear view of his surroundings.

His stomach immediately sank. This land was much different than the upper level and it was certainly not appealing. He wished he knew more about this area, but no one had told him that it would be so dark and haunting. Unlike the bright and almost cheery upper world, this place was deep and dark, casting misty shades of reds and browns. Tall rocky cliffs of black and gray shadowed the land, creating a very suffocating environment.

Vegeta hissed quietly at the forsaken land and moved forward. His dark eyes were adjusting, but the fact that there was barely any light in this new world wasn't easing his agitation. Not even the sky held the happy yellow clouds. It was merely the ground of the upper world, dirt ridden, rocky, and dreary.

Looking around, Vegeta saw no sign of another entrance to the third level where the Shadow Land was. Not that he was too disappointed about this, but he'd rather be moving forward as opposed to pushed back from something he acquired. Though, what he wanted to acquire was going to be hard to get, he wouldn't back down.

Looking past dark, looming mountains and steep rocky hills, Vegeta made his way around the land. He couldn't feel any life sources or energies and the fact that he was utterly alone actually frightened him somewhat. The haunting shadows and still air sent icy chills down his spine. He stopped moving briefly and merely took in his surroundings. A misty shadow hovered across the reddish-maroon ground and dead silence hummed in his ears. Biting his lip, the small saiyajin turned in the other direction.

"WHO ARE YOU! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!"

He was on his backside before he knew it, his voice screaming out in terror and his heart pounding so loud he couldn't even hear his sudden panting. As he turned a ghastly white face burst into his vision. Gangly rotted teeth stuck out from chapped lips as glowing red eyes burned into his. The voice was loud. It was too loud for Vegeta's sensitive hearing to handle. It appeared so fast and then, boom…gone. The deep, booming voice resonated across the rocky canyons and Vegeta knew that it wasn't his imagination. There was something….or some things there.

But the face. It was so awful. In a flash the pale white, veined, bloated face was there, screaming in his face, knocking him on his ass from the sheer force of its entrance. Vegeta swallowed and realized he was shaking. He was gripping the sanded ground for sheer life as his heart raced.

But it was silent again. Nothing was there. The misty smog still hovered around the ground and the silence still buzzing nightmarishly. He grimaced at the pain from his landing and pushed off the ground. Whatever that thing was, he needed to get away from it before it or something else returned to torment him.

Picking up his feet the shaken prince quickly moved across the haunting land. He didn't know where he was going, but he needed to find a way out fast. Moving quicker, the powerful saiyajin silently glided across the ground. Turning his head back to make sure there was nothing behind him, he hadn't even noticed the shaded figure right before him.

Looking forward, he almost swallowed his own tongue as he gasped loudly. A girl. There was a girl about ten feet in front of him, her head bowed and strands of thin, straggly hair hanging in front of her face. It looked as if she was in some sort of ragged, filthy dress. The floating mist hovered around her feet and she merely stood there, motionless.

"I don't have time for this shit," Vegeta growled. He raised his hand up and prepared to launch his Big Bang at the small figure. "Get out of the way, freak. I don't have the patience for your tricks."

The girl remained motionless and simply stood with her head down and almost balding head lowered. Vegeta growled and brought his energy forward. Whatever it was, it was a goner now. He smirked as he prepared to launch the energy at her…it.

A shriek that penetrated his skull and reverberated off the cliffs and rocks rang out. Dropping his energy immediately Vegeta covered his ears and growled angrily. But he didn't notice the girl raising her head slowly as she shrieked. Her eyes glowing brighter and brighter red as her head moved up to glare at the stranger, her actions were jerky and twisted as if her neck had been broken. Vegeta's dark eyes rose and he froze at the sight at hand.

Moving demonically, this creature before him shrieked louder, her head tilted disgustingly and pale drool seeping from a mouth that held rows of shattered, gray teeth. Her face was scrunched into a hideous snarl, looking almost like a rabid dog right before it tore someone's throat out. The girl's skin was patchy and gray, holding tints of green as if she suffered from some horrid disease. As she shrieked her body shook as if she was disjointed and her thin, loose hair shivered as the awful noise erupted from her.

Vegeta's eyes were almost watering now from the piercing shriek. He had to silence the demonic thing before he lost his hearing for good. But before he could react, the ghostly creature launched herself. Moving forward as if she was on a fast as lightening conveyer belt, the girl's gnarled fingers reached for him. Long, wickedly curved nails shot toward him as the possessed, growling beast glided right at him.

Vegeta leapt from the ground and sent a swift kick into the back of her neck. The screaming was immediately silenced and he breathed a sigh of relief. But it was short-lived as the fallen girl shifted jerkily. Vegeta hovered above her and watched as the small figure twitched and jerked as she tried to get up. Much to his disgust, bones and crunching of aged tendons and joints could be heard as the small body struggled to get up. In horrid fascination, Vegeta gaped as the head of the girl slowly turned, the bones in the neck snapping as red eyes glared up at him.

The prince had seen the "Exorcist" and was expecting at any moment the girl to start vomiting green slime, but she merely spun the rest of her body to meet her backwards head. He snarled in disgust and hovered up higher. He had enough of this terrifying sight and needed to end it now.

The ghastly girl managed to stand and staggered with unhinged, nauseating movements as her hideous red eyes glared into the battle-worn prince hovering above her. She was preparing to launch into the air after him, but was suddenly met with body crushing energy as he threw an immense amount of blue power at her. Vegeta watched as the corpse was blasted into pieces and strewn across the foggy ground. He spat at the remains and landed with an annoyed grunt. Peering at the limbs and head of the creature he shivered slightly. He didn't know that zombies actually existed, but they sure were scary when met face to face.

He was pulled from his thoughts, though, as the limbs and head began to shake and jerk. He watched in horror as the shattered parts began to slowly try to pull themselves back together. Gagging suddenly, Vegeta flew backwards and began to rapidly fire at the remnants of the body. He didn't stop until he knew every last part was gone. Sucking in rapid breath, the shaking saiyajin scanned the area making sure no more of these phantoms were near him. Thinking quickly, the nervous prince glanced around.

'Frieza had said that the entrance to the third level was near another lake of blood. I need to find that and quick.'

Springing to his feet and taking to the air, he flew across the darkened sky and frantically searched. He hated not knowing what was going on, especially when the things he didn't understand were popping up and scaring the shit out him whenever he turned. Squinting into the misty land and trying to adjust his eyes, Vegeta flew in between the towering hills and cliffs as he searched for the pool.

After several minutes of searching, he landed with an angry huff and kicked a rock away. It skittered across the ground, disappearing into the mist. Scowling, Vegeta crossed his arms and pouted. This situation was ridiculous and he was beginning to grow agitated. He took a step forward and was immediately stopped as the rock he just kicked came sailing through the air and smacked him in the head. Growling in frustration, Vegeta quickly jumped into a fighting stance and opened up all his senses. Unfortunately, he could feel no surrounding powers.

But, from the cloudy mist, he heard ragged breathing and a raspy growl. Tensing up, the sharp prince merely waited and watched as the sound of footsteps neared. Feeling himself shaking from the sheer intensity of his nervousness and fear, Vegeta clenched his teeth and raised his power. To his horror, a wall of shadowy figures emerged from the darkness. Right before him stood an army of zombies.

Reeling back from the stench of decay and death, the saiyajin backed away from the meandering, staggering crowd and brought forth his power. Feeling his black hair and dark eyes change, the immense strength of the super-saiyajin energy surged forth. The corpses seemed to slow but still proceeded forward.

"I don't know what the hell you want, but I'm going to end it now!"

The nearest decaying beast snarled viciously and leapt at the powerful prince. Flying backwards quickly, Vegeta sent a burning blast through the body, incinerating it immediately. Without hesitation all the creatures leapt at him, skin flapping, teeth gnashing, and red eyes glowing. Letting out a ferocious roar, Vegeta brought forth all the energy he could muster and launched blast after blast at the corpses. Their shrill shrieks and horrid moans echoed across the dead land as they exploded or burned. Vegeta didn't stop until he knew that none of them could stand up again.

Looking at the charred ground, the panting saiyajin could see the shredded bodies and "lifeless" forms unmoving. With an angry sniff he landed on the ground again. He decided then that if he died any time soon, he did not want to go to this level of Hell.

"LOOK WHAT YOU DID!" The deep booming voice hollered in his face again. This time, the ghastly, haunting face of the figment flickered brightly as the awful voice screamed. All Vegeta saw was a flash of rotted yellow teeth and blood-red eyes. Then appearing much clearer and much closer the bloated white face roared again. "DIE! YOU WILL DIE! YOU FOREVER ROT IN THE BURNING FLAMES OF HELL COWARD!"

With an enraged cry Vegeta brought his stained gloves up and sent a wave of energy at the blinding figure before him. Sweating profusely at the immense amount of power being thrown, the wild prince stopped the assault and leapt back, shaking and gasping as his heart pounded in his ears. The thing was gone for now, but he knew that this land was dangerous and haunted.

"What are you doing here, beast?" A harsh, hissing voice whispered into his ear.

Vegeta spun at the feel of icy air on his ear but there was nothing there. Wild eyes searched frantically and he took an uncertain step back. Bringing a gloved hand up to his racing heart Vegeta felt his body begin to shake painfully.

Was he going crazy? Was all the stress he had been under finally breaking him? Feeling a panic rise in his chest he knelt down and tried to concentrate. No, he refused to believe what was happening was all in his head. He was in Hell after all, and they did do some pretty sick, nasty shit to the condemned. He was Vegeta, not some crazy nut job. He wasn't about to let some freak ghosts try to convince him otherwise.

"Why are you still here?"

With that final hiss in his ear, Vegeta found himself running across the land in a blind panic. Not knowing where he was going he just sprinted away from the voice. He flew over misty land, his heart feeling as if it would burst from his chest and his mind racing, as he was sure something was following him. Not being able to see the blurred shapes of trees and cliffs racing past he ran and ran.

Vegeta's foot caught something hard and he was sent sailing across the ground hitting several rocks. His momentum carried him forward until he was met with thick, cold liquid. In a daze, the startled prince felt himself sinking, but he allowed it. He let his body relax and calm as he the cooling, somewhat serene environment took hold. Blowing out some bubbles, Vegeta cracked an eye open and saw only red. Realizing where he was he kicked back up to the surface and gasped in some very needed air.

The lake of blood. It was similar to the one on the upper level; only it was right in the ground and actually resembled more of small pond. Swimming to the edge, Vegeta pulled himself and shook some of the watery blood substance from his already filthy armor. A slow smirk appeared on his dirty face as he looked to his right and saw a hole in the ground covered up with yellow clouds.

"Good. Now I can get the fuck out of here."

"Then why don't you?"

He looked up to see a small, white figure sitting on a large rock near the entrance to the third level. Glaring at it, Vegeta could see that it had the body of a shriveled, old-man, bones sticking out from pure white skin and weak, thin arms and legs. The head was large and round, though. Pale blue paint of some sort marked the porcelain white skin and from the round face sat two, sunken red eyes. They glowed on and off and shot straight through Vegeta, turning him to ice.

"Trust me…I am."

Gathering up his courage, Vegeta moved toward the gaping hole that led to the third level. Wanting to get as far away from the hideous ghost and the zombie land, he leapt into the yellow clouds, not yet acknowledging the fact that he had just plunged into the world of the Shadow Demons.

'There! Finally! I have been working on this chapter for quite some time, but I've finally finished it. Thanks for those who have been reading…and requesting for an update, even telling me to hurry up on my livejournal. Well, it looks like some action may finally be happening now that Vegeta is entering the land of the Shadow Demons. Trust me, there will be some surprising twists and turns, so please read and review, and let me know what you think. Thanks!'


	10. Insightful

'Hello again…and sorry, sorry, sorry for not updating in a while. Not only have I had writer's block for this story, but also I was in Germany for two weeks and haven't had the chance to update. Well, again, thank you all for reading and reviewing and here we are again. Now, on with the story!'

Disclaimer: This is a non-profit fanfiction written just for fun and to scare. Akira Toriyama is the original creator. I just borrowed his characters.

Chapter 10

It was a city. Dilapidated and in ruins, an old cityscape was what this new "world" looked like as Vegeta stood taking in his surroundings. So he was in the third level now. Yay. Feeling exhausted already Vegeta tried to figure out how he was going to face the Shadow Demons. In fact, how was he going to find their planet at all? Certainly he'd be able to see a black, haunting looking rock floating in the sky, but looking upward, all the prince saw was the rocky dark bottom of the second level and sections of yellow clouds.

Sighing, the black-haired saiyajin trudged forward across rocky ground covered in debris and destruction. The environment was familiar, but he couldn't figure out where he had seen cities like this before. It was old, that was for sure, but it was definitely from earth and not like anything he'd seen before. Walking around the destroyed roads and collapsed buildings he noticed that everything here had been ruined and blown up by explosions. It was a battle that did this. Churches were torn apart, buildings lay in ruins, and it appeared that no life was present in the abandoned area. Or so Vegeta thought. Turning the corner, Vegeta stopped dead as three beings sat before him.

It startled him, making the usually confident prince believe that he had finally run into the Shadow Demons, but as he allowed himself to calm down, he realized that they were ordinary-looking humans. They sat at a card table planted right in the middle of the dreary land and drank beer, played cards, and smoked cigarettes. Regaining his composure, Vegeta took a slow step forward and then another. As he neared, he realized that a few yards away, at the end of the city, was a whole new town. Instead of it being older and dilapidated, Vegeta saw that it looked like a suburban neighborhood. A cement truck sat at the corner of a sidewalk, slowly dumping the thick gray substance into a deep hole. Somehow, he stood in an area of two worlds. The past and the present were connected and appeared so strange attached to one another.

Vegeta cleared his throat loudly and crossed his powerful arms, trying to intimidate the three men as much as he could. Much to his dismay, they merely glanced at him with bored looks and returned to their card game. Feeling his impatience and annoyance rise, Vegeta marched up to the table and put a gloved hand in the middle, preventing the men from playing. No one was going to ignore the saiyajin prince.

"Where is the planet of the Shadow Demons?" He demanded.

The man to his right sighed and glared up at the prince with sharp blue/green eyes. From under shaggy sandy hair, a light reddish brown hue, the tight-faced human placed his cards down and laced his fingers together.

"Es ist verboten," he spoke quickly, wanting to get back to his game.

Vegeta blinked and picked his hand up off the table. "What was that?"

"Was?"

Getting angry at the annoying man's games he grabbed him by the scruff of his loose jade green shirt and shook him.

"I'm not playing games here!" The saiyajin barked. "You'll tell me where the planet is or you'll be getting a ki blast to the face!"

Anger flashed across his victim's visage and a large hand grabbed his gloved one, not caring that it was stained with purple blood.

"Es ist verboten!" The stranger yelled again. With cold light eyes, the man smirked at his two friends. "Was fur in nar!"

The two still seated laughed with the sandy-haired man and Vegeta's hand tightened around the scruff.

"There's no use in speakin' with 'em," one of the humans said with a smirk. "He's not understandin' what yer sayin' anyway."

Releasing the man and shoving him back into his chair, Vegeta smirked, as well. "If that's true, why did he answer me when I first asked?"

Glancing at one another, they sheepishly grinned. The one who hadn't spoken yet laughed lightly. "He's a smart one…well, besides the fact that he wants to die so badly at the hands of the Shadow Demons."

As they spoke, Vegeta began to pick up the accents. He had heard them before while watching various shows on earth TV. The two who were speaking were Irish. He could not yet figure out the one who spoke the unfamiliar language, though, it sounded quite familiar, too.

"He's figured you out, Zacher."

The light mahogany-haired man pouted a bit and sat up in his chair. Peering at Vegeta with sharp eyes he looked the strangely dressed man up and down, noting that he had been fighting with someone or something.

"It is forbidden to go to the Shadow Demons," the man called Zacher spoke with a thick accent.

"Oh?" Vegeta mused. "And why is that?"

There was a moment of silence before the three began laughing again. Feeling an angry heat raise up his neck Vegeta let his energy crackle around him, warning them to shut up. Instantly they did.

"U use ki I zee," Zacher observed. Vegeta merely nodded and kept icy black eyes on the stocky man. "Hunters, fools, und the stupid go looking for their deaths when they look for Shadow Demons. Only those who are written down und planned to be killed by them are to see them. It is our jobs to make zure that they are not bothered by weak fools who only vant to prove themselves and "kill" them."

Letting the cocky man finish little speech, Vegeta grunted a light laugh and shook his head. "Well, I guess I'm lucky then. I'm scheduled to die by their hands…so you have to let me in."

Six eyes shot up to him as he explained this. A look of suspicion swept across their faces and they glanced at each other.

"If that's so, why would you come to them? Aren't yeh aware of their powers, their rituals, their…obsessions?" One of the Irish men asked.

Vegeta smirked and nodded. "Indeed. I've experienced them. I've lived through them."

The suspicious glares didn't lessen as he told them this. Zacher took a drink of his beer and licked his lips.

"Come. Sit vith us."

Not wanting to be held up anymore Vegeta rolled his eyes and sighed. "Just tell me where the planet is."

"Nein."

"What!" Vegeta yelled. "I told you that they are expecting me! You don't need to stop me."

"What's yer name?" The stronger accented one asked. Vegeta's sharp eyes pierced his and he growled darkly. The man remained calm and simply stared back. He was a larger man and tall. He had blonde hair, a bit shaggy, and dark brown eyes. Large plump lips smiled slightly as he noted Vegeta's anger.

"What's yours?" The impatient prince snapped.

Smiling even wider, the larger man rocked back on his old wooden chair. He then let it fall forward with a loud thud as he eyed the armored saiyajin.

"Me name's Frank. You can call me Lucky."

Vegeta's eye twitched in annoyance. "Fine, Lucky. I'm just going to walk past you all now, and I'll find this planet on my own. Bye."

Without another word, Vegeta stalked past them, feeling their eyes on him the whole time. Nearing the "line" that ended this strange world and started to head into suburbia, his pace quickened. His white boots carried him forward…straight into an invisible barrier. There was a loud thud as his face collided with the unknown wall and Vegeta brought his hand up to his aching nose. The three behind him cackled with laughter. Bringing up a gloved fist he pounded on the clear barrier that divided the worlds and let out an angry yell. Pressing his palm against it, he quickly brought some energy to hand and fired point blank against it. Nothing happened, not even a dent. Seething, he whipped around and stormed back to the table.

"Why?" He roared. "Why won't you let me through? I have to complete this mission and you idiots are holding me up. I should blast you all right now!"

Again, they remained calm with satisfied smirks on all their faces. Vegeta blinked in confusion. Hadn't they just seen his energy? They were only humans. They should have been terrified! But they just stared at him condescendingly as he fumed before them.

"We're well aware that you could blast us all away in seconds," the nameless one spoke. "But we know you won't. If we're gone, the barrier stays. How, oh how will you get through?"

Clenching his teeth Vegeta crossed his arms and turned his head to the side. "I'll figure out a way."

Zacher chuckled and lit a cigarette that was tucked between his thin lips. "Arrogant, arrogant, arrogant, as all young fools are. Get in there, kill und kill some more und that's it. Vhat a grand life."

Vegeta growled low in his throat. What would a weak human know about his life at all? Who was he to judge? A slow rage pumped through the prince and he wondered why he hadn't blasted them all into nothingness by now.

"You don't know me. You don't know what these sick creatures did to me, what they plan to do. You're all just weak, cowardly humans."

Zacher's usual calm expression suddenly turned icy and cold. "Just weak little humans, eh?" The built man hissed. "Zo, does this mean u are not human? Vhat, then, are u?"

Feeling an arrogant pride fill him, Vegeta chuckled. "I could never be confused with a mere human. I am a saiyajin, Prince Vegeta!"

Earning the expressions he was hoping for, the three men's eyes widened and their mouths dropped open. Zacher's cigarette even fell from his lips. The quieter Irish boy gazed up at the armored saiyajin with shadowy eyes, dark with suspicion.

"I thought that you would have been taller."

Vegeta's eye twitched in annoyance and he had the sudden urge to flip the little card table over and toss the three idiots through the air, but he curbed his anger and took a few deep breaths. The other two men looked at the smaller character and gave him a weary gaze.

"Yeh'll have to forgive me friend, Patrick here. He still hasn't quite come out of his adolescent immaturity yet," Lucky explained. "Though he died so long ago, he still likes to pretend he's sixteen."

The one called Patrick gave Vegeta a haughty grin and picked up his cards. The boy really was younger than the saiyajin had noticed. He wore a baggy gray hat on his red hair, which helped shadow his young freckled face. Dark, dark blue eyes appeared innocent and bright, though Vegeta could see that it was a just a façade. A cruel darkness crept behind them and Vegeta could only imagine what the boy had done to earn a sentence in hell.

"Zo, u are Vegeta," the elderly Zacher said. "I can zee vhy u are on the list then. But they were supposed to come to u, not u to them."

"I'm not going to wait around for them to come and attack me whenever they feel like it," Vegeta growled. "It's time that I took the initiative and went to them. They won't know what hit them."

Zacher peered at the battle-worn prince and sighed. "Haben Sie Geld?"

Vegeta blinked in confusion. "What?"

"Zacher!" Lucky laughed, his blonde hair shaking as he did. "You did it again. The stupid creature cannot understand German."

Vegeta glared at the bigger Irish man as the nasty insult made him flare his energy as a warning. Lucky merely smiled back as Zacher blushed.

"I forget sometimes," the German laughed. "Vhat I asked vas, do you got any money?"

Shaking his head, Vegeta sneered at such a stupid question.

"Even though we're dead," Patrick snapped, "it still feels good to have some money in our pockets. It's good in trades sometimes. If you had some, we may have been willing to let you pass."

The saiyajin groaned and put his purple-stained gloves to his head. His impatience was running rampant and all he wanted to do was get across. He couldn't just blast the fools because they were his ticket to getting through. He'd have to come up with another idea.

The three humans seemed to forget that he was there and returned to their card game. The armored prince paced back and forth for a bit before coming to a halt and glancing down at the game. His sharp black eyes watched closely as he began to remember playing it once or twice with Bulma. Both times he did exceptionally well. He hid the sly grin that began to appear on his face.

"How far into that game are you?" His rough voice asked, cutting through the air.

Six eyes rose and met his. Slowly, the three humans began to smile. Zacher put his cards down and snapped his fingers. Vegeta leapt out of the way as another old, wooden chair popped into the air and landed hard on the four wobbly legs at the table. He took note of the strange power this human had and pulled the old chair out from the table. The three knew his plan and they silently agreed. If he won, he would be granted access past the barrier. Zacher nodded to the black-haired prince to sit and he did so.

"If you are not from Earth, how do you know how to play poker?" Patrick sneered.

Vegeta gave him a condescending smirk as Zacher gave him some cards. "I may not be from earth, but who says that I haven't been living there over the years?"

This seemed to spark their interest and the three looked at him.

"So, the all powerful, planet-destroyin' Vegeta has been residing on good ole' earth over the years?" Lucky said. "An' why is that? Frieza was killed a while back. Yeh could have been ruler o' the galaxy."

Vegeta scoffed and looked down at his cards. Indeed, this was a question that had plagued his mind since his first few days on earth. Why had he stayed on the planet? At the time, there was really no place else to go. As far as he knew, Kakarotto had destroyed Frieza and was somewhere in space. He wanted to wait for the idiot's return so he could demand the fool to teach him how to go super-saiyajin. Then Trunks came, the androids…and Bulma. Over the years, he grew confused over the relationship he had with the blue-haired woman. He fought with himself and he even fought with her over the silly emotion of love. Did he love her? It was an absurd idea. Vegeta, the killer of innocents, slave to Frieza, and all together evil guy could not feel love. It wasn't an emotion he could understand. Yet…after this whole ordeal with the Shadow Demons, he'd come close to giving his life for her. Was that love? With a scowl deepening on his face Vegeta wasn't even aware of his sudden silence.

"A woman, righ'?" Lucky Frank asked.

Vegeta snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head. With a dark blush spreading across his cheeks he let out a strained laugh. "Don't be absurd! Are you forgetting who I am? Love. Ha!"

"He didn't say anything about love, man," Patrick mused. He picked up his glass of beer and drank with a smirk on his lips.

Getting even redder, Vegeta shuffled through his cards. "Are we just going to sit here the whole time, or are we going to play?"

The three laughed as they drew their attention back to the table. Vegeta felt quite calm as they started to play. He knew that he was the king of keeping his face calm, stoic, and blank. It was what he excelled at. After years of torment, abuse, and interrogation throughout his life, it was very important to learn to control emotions and facial features. He had trained himself to show nothing and not let others know what he felt or thought. Every time he found himself with a good or bad hand, he expertly drew his face blank and placed a card down. Even through the conversation the humans insisted on having he was able to keep his composure cool and calm.

"So yeh've battled the Shadow Demons before?" Lucky blurted. "An' yeh've survived. How did this happen?"

Abruptly, haunting images popped into Vegeta's mind and he tried to hold in a shudder. Making his face grow cold he pushed some air from his teeth and sighed.

"I guess I was a marked saiyajin when I was six and a half years old."

Patrick leant back and pushed his hat from his eyes with an amused smirk. "Man. You went through that shit when you were six?"

Vegeta nodded and placed some cards on the table.

"How'd yeh escape?" Lucky asked with much interest.

"Frieza," Vegeta muttered.

The three let out sympathetic moans, smiling the whole time.

"That's gotta be a kick to the balls," Patrick snickered. "You're his little pet and then you have to rely on the lizard to save your ass. Ouch."

"Yeah thanks."

"Zo, you got avay. But now they are back?" Zacher said coolly.

Nodding Vegeta sighed again. "Yeah, I weaseled some information from the lizard shithead before I completely destroyed him. He said that the Shadow Demons are hired assassins. I just have to find out who sent them after me and-"

"I thought that the saiyajin called Kakarotto destroyed Frieza," Zacher burst in. "Vhen the lizard came down here that vas the news all over."

"Taking credit, huh, Veggie?" the redhead sniffed.

Vegeta scowled at the arrogant boy and sat up straighter in his chair. "Actually my son was the first to kill him. Kakarotto was the first defeat to the bastard…and I was the one to finish him off for good." He smirked and lifted up a bloodied glove. "I ran into him down here…and this is all that's left of the freak." He explained showing them the purple stain across his fingers.

Zacher took in a rush of air and the two Irishmen eyed Vegeta with shocked fear. Lucky's brown eyes glanced at the German with raised eyebrows. The saiyajin started to feel a bit uneasy at the strange awe and what he sensed…anger. He wondered briefly if these humans were somehow tied to the little monster.

"You killed him?" Zacher spoke slowly, keeping his light green-blue eyes on his cards.

"That's right."

The stocky German clicked his tongue against the back of his front teeth and shook his head. "I see."

Vegeta raised an eyebrow and shot quick glances to all three. They noted his confusion and much to his dismay Patrick answered his unasked question.

"Killing someone who is already dead in otherworld is not a good thing to do. It's a very punishable thing to do."

The flame-haired prince chuckled and glanced at the cards on the table. "Don't forget who I am. I am already condemned to hell. I could very well be picked apart by these Shadow Demons and trapped for eternity in a fate worse than hell. What do I care if Frieza is wiped from existence? He deserved every second of my revenge against him."

Zacher uncharacteristically threw his cards on the table, placed his elbows on the wobbly surface and leaned forward so he was face to face with Vegeta. Even though the man was a weak human, Vegeta felt a bit intimidated by the angry glare stabbing into him.

"Zo, you think killing one who is veaker than you is a correct action?"

Vegeta too felt his anger rise and he placed his cards on the table. His sharp black eyes pierced into the Zacher's cool pale ones and he scowled.

"Yes," the saiyajin hissed. "You wouldn't even believe the shit that horrid little creature put me through. He deserved every second and I don't feel the least bad about tearing him apart. He took advantage of me for over twenty years; a being that was much weaker than him, without hesitation or guilt. Frieza had it coming."

"You're lying."

Vegeta's eyes widened and he held in a small gasp. "No…he deserved it."

"Oh, I don't doubt that he deserved it," Zacher shot back. "Vhat I am saying is that you feel bad about it. I can zee it in your eyes. It is eating you up inside."

The prince quickly sat back in his chair, blinking rapidly. He shook his head and opened his mouth, making a few choking noises. With a self-assuring laugh he crossed his arms and shook his head again. "Uh…no."

"Wow, great comeback," Patrick mocked.

"Yes," Zacher confirmed. "But vhy exactly? You said you vere under his watch for over twenty years. This creature raised you. My, my, you killed your guardian. Your own Vater."

"What!"

"Yer own father," Lucky said.

Vegeta's heart began to race. He found himself at a loss of words. It was absurd. Frieza was NOT his father! His father was his father! The king of the saiyajins was the one who…only raised him for five years. Zarbon, Dadoria, Nappa, Radditz, and many of the others in Frieza's army were the ones that he learned from. A panicky ache began to flow through him at the truthful words. Was this why it had hurt so much when he had stared at the cold, pale body of his former master? Was he…really exactly like the monstrous tyrant? Zacher could see it. Could everyone else see it, too? Was it so obvious that he was nothing but a mindless slave to dark lord? And he, Vegeta had killed him with no remorse. He had grinned and laughed as he tore apart the awful beast, not feeling an inkling of remorse or guilt as Frieza screamed out.

The tyrant had been right. As long as he, Vegeta, lived, so would Frieza. Because Vegeta was Frieza there would still be murder, hatred, revenge, and danger. He proved that as he took joy in killing the creature that was much weaker than he. Feeling a cold sweat run down his face, the same sinking doubt and fear crept into Vegeta as it did when Frieza said his last dying words to him. As long as he lived, so did Frieza.

"Yeh alright, boy?"

Staring down at his gloved hands, Vegeta remained silent and motionless.

"I think you really hurt his feelings, Zacher," Patrick laughed. The boy grabbed the bill of his floppy hat and fanned himself briefly, showing off his red hair even more.

"Listen Saiyajin," Zacher said softly. "Killing, murdering, torturing, and hurting isn't the vay to live. I'm guessing my vords vere a bit harsh. Who am I to be taunting you about your life and your past? All I meant vas that killing people because you have a grudge against them or because u don't like how they look or because you think they wronged you in the past vill not resolve anything. Do you feel better now that Frieza is completely destroyed and never to return?"

Vegeta bit his lip and lowered his head more. It was so stupid that he suddenly felt like a child being scolded by a parent. They were just…weak humans. What did they know? But Zacher seemed to know what he was talking about. He was like a wise grandfather trying to give his young grandson advice.

"I don't know," Vegeta whispered. "I don't know what to think. Something…something is wrong. I should be happy. I should be happy the bastard is dead and that I did it…but…"

"This is what Hell is fer," Lucky explained, taking a drink of his dark liquor. "Frieza was being punished for eternity. That's the thing about Hell. Yer already being punished, yeh don't need to be hassled or destroyed by the living."

Vegeta rolled his eyes and raised his head. He stared at the cement truck over in suburbia. "Yeah…the first level of hell seems like a really terrifying place," he replied flatly.

The three laughed at his sarcasm. "The first level of hell is for the normal sinners, you know, your kind, our kind, those that are flesh and blood and basically did evil or mean things in life," Patrick explained. "The shit you saw up there is pretty ridiculous. The fucking pool of blood, what a damn cliché. And those retarded poofy cloud spirits floating around all gay and stupid. I think that's why it's hell up there. It's damn embarrassing! It's like Booh-Bah Nightmare Land…but that's only what you can see." The redhead lit a cigarette. "You don't see the spirit cleanser or the hidden rooms of rehabilitation."

Vegeta's dark eyes rose up to meet his. Patrick nodded smugly. "Yeah. Those rooms suck. You are strapped in and they show you all the sins and evil deeds you've done and they restrain your power and beat you and-"

"I think he gets it," Zacher interrupted.

Vegeta scowled deeper, glad that he never made it down to hell when he died at the hands of Frieza. Feeling thoroughly distraught, Vegeta slouched and rested his chin on his hands.

"Still want to play?" The sandy-haired German asked.

Vegeta sighed and shrugged. "I don't know. I'm here already, but I don't really feel like going forward. I should just wait for them to find me. I guess I deserve it, though."

"I don't believe anyone deserves that fate," Zacher growled. "No one should have to face the Shadow Demons. Vhy they were employed by Y-"

Lucky coughed loudly and kicked his friend under the table. Zacher blushed and shook his head, then laughed and chugged his beer. Vegeta, not really caring anymore, just shrugged it off and sighed. There really was no point in going to the Demons. He didn't have the heart to face them. A harsh guilt knotted within his chest and he questioned himself more and more why he killed Frieza. He hadn't killed anyone in a long time, and the fact that he had enjoyed it so much made him fear himself. What would Bulma or Trunks think if they had seen him or knew that he brutally murdered one so much weaker than he? Maybe it was better if he just allowed himself to be taken by the Walcon. These simple humans only saw him as a deranged killer. Perhaps all the earthlings only saw him that way, too.

But what should he do now? He didn't want to go forward, but he didn't want to go back up to Yemma and tell Bulma that he was just going to wait to be tortured and killed.

"Come on, yeh," Lucky said kindly. "Just play poker with us to get yer mind offa this. It don' matter if you lose or win, just play fer fun."

Blinking a few times Vegeta sat up. He might as well try to have a little bit of enjoyment before he died. Sure. Picking up his cards the prince put on his poker face again. He glanced at the three merry humans and smiled slightly. They all seemed so relaxed, so serene in such a drab and dreary place.

"So," Vegeta said. "How is it that you are all in Hell in the first place?"

Zacher looked at his two friends and they all smiled and looked back at Vegeta.

"Thought you'd never ask," Patrick said.

'All right! I finally finished this chapter. Oh, and if there is confusion, I have Zacher sometimes say U instead of YOU because in German the pronunciation of the letter u is "oo", so that's why he says you like that. It's not a lazy typo, hee hee. Again, sorry it took a while, but I'll try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible. I plan to have some scary bloody stuff in the next chapter so beware! And thanks for reviewing!'


	11. Stories

'Hello everybody! Thank you all for reading and reviewing. Now, this chapter may have some conversations and stories that could offend and/or disgust so beware. It's just a fanfiction, so don't take it seriously. But please, if you like it, leave a review and let me know what you think. Thanks!'

Disclaimer: Akira Toriyama own DBZ and all characters. This is a non-profit fanfiction just written for fun by a no-name author.

Chapter 11

So, he, Prince Vegeta decided to wait for death. It was not like he was planning to go without a fight, but he realized that he would need huge ambition and arrogance to go after the Shadow Demons and he none. A heavy guilt and fear ate at him and he could only sit with the two Irish humans and the German.

He had killed Frieza. He had killed his master…no his trainer, his tutor, his guardian with no guilt or remorse. He killed a being that he was exactly like and felt joy and triumph as he did it. What did that have to say for himself? How could he enjoy it so much as he killed someone just like him? It was like he wouldn't care if he died.

Vegeta sat with cards in stained, gloved hands as he thought over his crazed, busy thoughts. It just didn't matter if he died. Who would miss such a cold-blooded killer? Bulma could always find someone new…someone kinder and better and who cared for her more and cared for his own soul and life. Vegeta felt as if he shouldn't matter. Zacher made it clear that he was a useless killer, that he was so evil and disgusting as to kill a being that raised him and made him. He was no better and he felt that he perhaps deserved this fate.

But for the time, he was going to play cards.

Lucky blinked his large brown eyes and grinned as he laid down a good hand. "Now, yeh, see," he chuckled, "we've all been down here for a while. Our crimes have long since been committed, but alas, here we are."

Vegeta's dark eyes rose and he squinted at the blonde man. "What did you do to warrant such a long stay? I mean…you're only human," he said condescendingly.

The three men sighed and shook their heads as they stared at the arrogant saiyajin.

"Why don't you shut the fuck up and listen," Patrick snapped, his face growing as red as his hair. "Quit being so cocky and think for once, that you saiyajins are not the most cold-blooded killers around."

Vegeta's tight lips pressed together as he scowled at the loud boy and he growled lightly. "The Saiyajins weren't cold-blooded killers. Don't use me as an example for my race!"

His dark eyes widened at his own curt accusation and he slowly lowered his head. What was wrong with him? He had never separated himself from his own people. It felt like in this short journey he had learned so much about himself and it sickened him. Truths were revealed to him and he felt like something foul and cruel, not even saiyajin and even darker than Frieza.

The humans were also surprised by the usually arrogant, prideful prince. Down in Hell, they had always heard about the murderer of planets and millions of people, but also heard the ways of his pride and love for his deceased people. They could tell that it shocked him as much as it shocked them that he suddenly disowned himself from the other saiyajins, as if protecting their sacred strength.

"The Saiyajins were a feisty race, aye?" Lucky said. "Liked a good fight?"

Vegeta looked at his gloved hands on his lap and a small smile appeared on his face as he heard the Irish man's curiosity. Looking up he nodded and smirked.

"Yeah, the Saiyajins are kinda like the Irish, just not drunk."

There was a moment of silence and then the two accented humans laughed loudly and slammed their beers on the table with a cheery agreement. Lucky slapped the smaller saiyajin on the back, his face red from his cackles.

"Aye! This lad, this lad here!" He chuckled as he shook Vegeta's shoulder.

Zacher shook his head at the rowdy people and returned his gaze back to his hand. "You never answered his question, Lucky," the sandy-haired man spoke quietly. "U vere about to prove zat humans can be just as bad und evil as any other race in the universe."

Lucky Frank's smile slowly dimmed and he nodded faintly. Looking intensely at his cards he took in a deep breath and then exhaled, his dark, blue checkered flannel raising and lowering with his large chest. His dark brown eyes looked at Vegeta and then back to his cards again.

"Now, yeh've got to understand that I was a young lad then, back in the twenties."

"You were twenty?" Vegeta asked.

"No. I mean back in 1920!" Lucky replied with a shake of the head. Vegeta felt his cheeks redden at his confusion. "I had grown up in good ole' Ireland with a beautiful mum, a hard-workin' dad, and three brothers, me bein' the second born. Well, anyway, I had yer normal childhood, playing with marbles, jumping the hop-scotch, and deliverin' me papers at the crack o' dawn."

Patrick yawned and fanned his face. "This going to take much longer?"

Lucky flicked the whiny child in the nose and went on with his story. "Well, as I got older, around the age o' twenty-five, me ma started to get sick. She got a nasty virus called Tuberculosis and needed medicine badly. But yeh see, we weren' the most wealthy family and me dad was already workin' the max a man could work. I tried to extra jobs, me brothers tried, as well, but it wasn' any use. We just didn' have enough money. So, I confronted the doctors and explained that if they gave us the medicine, we'd be able t' pay 'em back later on. Of course, they said no and went on to leave me ma dying."

"So, you killed the doctors out of revenge," Vegeta said with much boredom. "That isn't too bad to land you here for so long."

The Irish man's dark brown eyes pierced his and Vegeta felt a sudden sense of foreboding.

"No, me lad," he replied darkly. "Yeh see. Me ma was sufferin' and she didn' deserve it. The amount of blood she coughed up a day, her pain-wracked sobs as her throat and chest ached, and watching her deteriorate before me eyes was too much. I decided to follow the head doctor one night after he got done workin'. I found out where he lived. I found out he had two daughters and a pretty little wife, all o' them in perfect health, all o' them laughin' and rolling in their money."

Lucky picked up his beer and drank from the glass deeply, then wiped his long sleeve across his mouth. An eerie coldness crept across his face and he merely stared out into the dilapidated city for a moment before continuing.

"So, in all me anger, in all me jealousy and spite, I broke into his house at night. It was the 1920s…houses were not nearly secure as they are now, I imagine. So, I grabbed one o' his little daughters…five, six…maybe seven years ole' and took her from her house late that night. I struggled to carry her to the metals shop that I occasionally worked at when not workin' my many other jobs." Lucky licked his lips, as if he eagerly missed the girl's terror. "Aye…so at the metals shop, we had all o' these tables used to set sheets and tools on for cutting, so I easily strapped her onto that. She cried…oh my, she cried and screamed, so I decided to get started. I decided what I needed to do to get the doctor to help me ma. I took out the bladed scissors, used to cut through metal an'…cut off her little tongue."

Patrick cringed and let out an amused "Ooohhh." Both Zacher and Lucky glared at him and scowled.

"The blood. Oi, the blood that came from this little girl. Who'd known that such a small person could have so much in 'em? So I took the tongue, placed it as carefully as I could in some soft paper-towels an' went back to the doctor's house, attaching a note to the gift telling him that if he didn' help the patients who were too poor and sick to pay, that he'd be receiving a new piece o' his daughter everyday."

Vegeta's heart began to pound in his chest. He was beginning to realize that Patrick had been right in saying that humans were perhaps just as grotesque and sick as many other creatures he'd met in his life. It amazed him that this simple human here, who was usually laughing and drinking, was capable of such…torture.

"So…did you get the help for your mother?"

Lucky's eyes turned to him and suddenly Vegeta could see right into the man's soul. He could see the desperate darkness that he must have felt as he mutilated the young girl. Shaking his head side to side, the Irish man frowned as he remembered his dark past.

"It was a small town and naturally there was a search. But I was able to move the girl to the cellar below the metal shop where no one knew to even look. An' with her tongue cut and her losin' so much blood, she could barely let out any screams. Her arms were strapped to the wooden table with metal bars, them cuttin' her flesh and infectin' her with God knows what, and her legs in the same condition. But, yeh see, it didn' matter then, because me ma still wasn' helped. The doctor just sat at home, mopin' an' worrying, but taking me threat without seriousness obviously. He withdrew and helped no patients at all. So, every three or four days, I'd deliver something else. I'd wrap up a finger, a toe, an eyeball, some teeth, some scalp with her lovely brown hair, but nothin'. So, I finally decided to finish the job. The last delivery was quite a bundle. I'm sure the dear ole' doctor was quite shocked when he opened his door t' find a heavy ball of white sheets, stained with darkened, black blood containing her stomach, heart, liver, lungs…an' her head."

The city around suddenly became hauntingly quiet as Lucky's accented voice stopped. Vegeta gave a side-glance to the man, the card game suddenly forgotten. The human had tortured and mutilated a small girl in the hopes of saving his mother. Humans became desperate when they needed something, Vegeta thought to himself darkly. Like any living creature: want something bad enough and they'll go through anything to get it.

"So, your mother was never helped."

The blonde-haired man bit his lower lip and trembled slightly as a burning rage swept through him. His brown eyes watered slightly and he lowered his head as his shoulders shook.

"I had to murder a little girl an' me ma was still ignored. I'd come home, bloody and shaken by the evil I had done, to find her witherin' away, he skin hanging off her bones like a wretched mummy. Her eyes were so dark, her pupils dilated and yet faded at the same moment. She was once so beautiful, but now was nothing but a living corpse because the people in me town were too selfish and stupid to do anything.

"So…she died a few weeks later. No one cared, though. The town was up in arms over the death of the girl. The wealthy doctor was the one to be pitied and pampered. He deserved no tears. He jes' wanted money. Well, his daughter had ter die for it…and me ma did, too. Because o' all this, I felt nothin' but anger for the people who resided in me town. My family had done so much for them. We delivered their papers, made metals and tools for 'em, shined their shoes, cleaned their streets, an' yet, they paid no notice when our family member died. No one even went t' her funeral. So…I decided they all must pay."

Vegeta gasped slightly as Lucky unveiled the descriptions and details of how he destroyed the rest of the doctor's family. Over the span of three years the man did the same to the doctor's other daughter and wife. He then went on to the people he felt wronged him. He kidnapped the baker who wouldn't sell him stale bread for a penny. He tortured families of all ages and sexes for their lack of caring and coldness toward him and his brothers, father, and deceased mother.

"At twenty-eight, I was mad. The taste of blood and revenge was all I saw. People no longer moved to the town and families were movin' out by the dozen. It hardly began to matter anymore who I killed or why. I just wanted people dead. I wanted them to suffer and die, because me ma had to. Me beautiful ma…her rotting corpse on the dusty ole' sofa, her eyes rolled back in her head and her tongue halfway hangin' out o' her mouth. It wasn' supposed t' be that way. Not fer her. Little did I know, in me madness, that me youngest brother Tom had found out a year before that I was the killer. He confronted me one day after I staggered home at one in the mornin' bloody and dazed from a night of disemboweling the local milkman.

"" Frank," he'd said, his soft, hazel eyes lookin' into mine. He was on'y, what, sixteen then. "Why'd yeh do it, Frank? Why'd yeh kill all those people?"

"I looked at him, feeling nervous and scared for him and me. ""They let mum die, Tom. They didn' even care.""

"An' then he looked at me, so full of grief and anguish. ""She died three years ago, Frank. Yeh didn' need ter to this.""

"An' that's when I looked at his hand. In his left hand, hidden slightly behind his large overcoat he held a large blade from the kitchen. He thought he was goin' t' stop me. I took a step forward, intimidating him 'cuz I was much older an' stronger.

""Yeh'll be wantin' to put that away, Tommy,"" I said pointing at his hand. ""I'm family an' we look out fer each other.""

"His face kinda shriveled as tears of fear and anguish washed over him. He leapt at me, and God, I didn' want ter hurt him. I didn' want to hurt me own flesh an' blood. That's what I started killin' fer! I had to protect 'em, but if he was goin' to try an' stop me, he was goin' ter pay, too.

"So, I dodged the knife and kicked him hard in the back as he ran past me. We fought right there in the kitchen, him swinging the blade, me dodging, an' a look of pure madness and rage passed over me innocent brother's features. Without me preparing, he flung the six-inch knife straight at me. Oh…me little brother, he threw death at me and it pierced me heart. Me own family. The hilt o' the knife stuck out of my left lung, the old, slick blade embedded in my heart, I sank to me knees in horror. Me own brother. He was at me side even as I died, crying, praying, begging for forgiveness for both him an' me. An' I think he got it fer himself, 'cuz I never seen him down here. I thank the gods everyday. I commend him for stopping a madman. I am so glad that he stopped me from killing more."

The story ended there and Vegeta found himself sitting on the edge of his seat. In all his life, after all the horrible crimes he had committed and seen others do, this story amazed him. Sure, he heard stories from people on Frieza's base about the horrible and disgusting things they'd done to people. But they were basically evil, sick creatures to begin with. He did his own share of awful things, but he was a warped, confused, and…evil being taught to do those things, as was everyone else involved with Frieza. But he had just heard a tale from a being that was born and raised in a home that wasn't evil, where he had the choice to do what he wanted…and he chose pain and torture. He CHOSE to do wrong…and it amazed him. The prince who had been tortured and brutally tormented his whole life sat before this human who only killed for three years and he was startled, stunned, amazed, scared, and so many more emotions he could barely understand.

Was Vegeta so naïve that he truly hadn't understood humankind and the choice of evil? It was stunning and he was intrigued as well as truly scared. This human was almost like…Frieza. He had the choice to be evil or good…and he chose his path. He had the freedom to choose and he decided to take the trip to hell. Vegeta hadn't that choice. He was taught to obey, follow orders, kill, destroy, or die. It was amazing that those who had freedom decided to hurt others. Humans truly were complex, astounding beings.

"My turn, my turn!" Patrick said giddily, clapping his hands and startling everyone.

Zacher rolled his eyes. "Oh ya, this is such a fun story," he said sarcastically. "No moral, no plot, no reason really. Truly a waste of life."

The redhead glared at the older man and gave him the finger. "This story kicks ass." He gazed at Vegeta with dark blue eyes and raised an eyebrow. "The name's Patrick, born 1892, died 1908. I was born in Ireland, too, but my parents wanted to get the fuck outta there so we caught a boat to New York and lived out our pleasant little lives in the good old U.S.A. Yay. But aside from that; my dad was a drunk, my mom a whore, and my little sister a bitch. So, good life, right. I started off simple…you know, killing bugs, mutilating my sister's dolls, drinking, smoking, gambling, all the good shit. As I got older…you know, like thirteen or fourteen I started raping, fighting, and just basically hurting people. So one day I decided to go rob a cheap little market store and of course, the loud mouth cashier all starts yelling to stop, stop, stop! But I run anyway with my money and shit and the cops are chasing and people are trying to the catch the dirty Irish boy and I'm laughing and of course I slip. Boom, I'm face-first in some fat woman's boobs; her hands on me and she starts screaming about how she caught the little rodent and stuff, so I brought my elbow back and drove it into her fat gut.

"She starts screaming and throwing up, which is nasty and the cops turn the corner and find me so I run up to this junky old building and run up the spiral steps and up to this room that's filled with, like, tar and shit. So, I remember hearing back in the medieval times or some shit how people would throw tar on others so I wheeled the barrow over and dumped it out the window, laughing and cheering as the black shit poured out over all those stupid people below. And of course, little do I know that the ledge that was supporting the tar barrel was loose and crappy. So, alas, out falls the huge metal basin thing, full of tar and crushed the fat woman and two cops killing all three instantly.

"Yep…so from then on I just started killing," Patrick said with a laugh. "I'd get in fights and break people's necks, get in fights and pull knives out, rape some girls to shit and leave them for death…yeah…but I didn't really care, because I was just a kid. And I guess I don't really care now. Looks like I'm still on my healing mission. Awesome, huh?"

The three at the table stared at the fast-talking boy and Vegeta crossed his arms, not impressed. "How'd you die?"

Patrick's smug smile disappeared and he muttered something. The saiyajin chuckled as Zacher and Lucky leaned forward, each grinning broadly.

"Vhat vas that, Patrick. I couldn't hear."

"Ran from the cops after dropping a bag of bricks on some guy and got hit by…a horse."

The two humans laughed at the arrogant child, as he turned red in the face. Vegeta smirked and shook his head. Patrick glared at the smug prince and rolled his eyes.

"Well, who'd expect a horse-drawn carriage to be crossing the road at the time? I certainly wasn't!"

This made them laugh harder and Zacher slapped his palm on the table as he wiped a tear from his eye. The German straightened up in his chair, knowing that it was his turn to tell his tale and his face slowly grew calm and blank. Pulling out his smokes, he lit a cigarette and hummed lightly before glancing at Vegeta with a knowing smirk.

"Do, you know vhere ve are?"

The black-haired saiyajin's eyes narrowed. "In Hell."

The German chuckled and looked at his two friends who also shared in the mocking laughter. Vegeta growled angrily and glared.

"Yes, ve are in hell, but obviously this is a town of some sort. Ve are in a German town called Stadtlohn. It vas heavily bombed and almost destroyed during Vorld Var two."

Vegeta blinked and took in his surroundings again, seeing the cracked and crumbling buildings, once standing tall and proud, their architecture once curved and layered, now dismantled and destroyed. The desolate sky was gray and haunting, helping add to the depressing land of destruction.

"I fought in Vorld Var one as a lowly soldier at a very young age. But for the second var, I was placed in a position much higher. I vas somewhere that would give me terrors for a sehr long time. I was a soldier at a concentration camp, a nazi."

Vegeta's eyebrow twitched at the name. He had heard of something called the Holocaust and nazi while watching TV on earth one time. He'd seen enough to know what it had been about and why it started, and he remembered becoming very interested in it. Unfortunately, it was on the television the day he had come back from space before fighting the androids and Bulma was insistent that he play with Trunks. He didn't hear much detail about the annihilation of an entire people after she interfered, but he knew that it had a huge impact on the planet Earth.

"I vas a soldier in one of these camps," Zacher said, trying to get through the story as quickly as possible. "And I vas proud…at first. Here I vas, a chosen soldier, one of the superior, there to make the vorld a better place." He snorted bitterly and took a long drag on his cigarette. "I vasn't keen on the killings at first. The higher-ups demanded that we shoot whoever whenever. We vere taught it. Ve were encouraged to be stronger und show off our superiority and by doing that we shot and killed innocent men, women, and children. We grew up normal and kind, and amazingly, with some simple words and strong suggestions, we, the soldier of Germany, became cold-blooded killers, too blinded with pride and arrogance to know or understand right from wrong."

The ring of familiarity in his words chilled Vegeta and he could only stare at the man as he spoke smoothly.

"Vorking at these camps, you were forced to kill the weak…even though, these poor prisoners were stronger than us than we could ever know…ve were the weak ones. With every kill I had, I died more und more. In my first week at the camp I shot a young boy through his head for crying out for his mother. I laughed along with fellow soldiers as kicked a weakened man to the ground over und over again, and I liked it. I grew to love it. I vas slowly taught to hate…but I didn't know what I was hating. I didn't know why I should hate these prisoners…why I should hate these people because of their religion or beliefs.

"As the years vent by I killed everyday or so. It was just a job. My job was to kill and rid the world of the weak." Zacher laughed bitterly. "I was so stupid. This whole plan was so stupid, but hatred does that to you. Hatred is dark und evil and und no good….no good. Near the end of the var, it vas discovered that we were losing. We vere told that soldiers at the camps could be arrested and tried. And I could only think…vhy? We were only doing our jobs. Vhy should we be punished for something we were forced to do?

"And as the fear of death sat ever present on my mind…I began to understand. I began to understand vhat these poor people had to go through. Everyday they were scared. Every day they thought they vould die. It was horrible. People don't vant to die. People are scared to die…and ve just laughed. Ve thought them weak, stupid, and inferior and we laughed at their fear. But once it turns around. Once you are scared, then you feel it. You really feel the horror and terror at being killed.

"I stood out on my balcony one night, watching some emaciated, skeletons walking about the dust-covered ground. I had never felt guilty for killing them before, but now my heart broke as I watched them hunting for food or some kind of something to consume. They all had dysentery and were deteriorating before my very eyes. I vondered how they did it. I vondered how I would handle it. I would have died…I would have killed myself. And at these thoughts, I wondered why I hadn't killed myself. There was no point in killing others. If I refused to murder I would be killed. Vas my life more important than theirs? I knew it wasn't and I knew these people did nothing wrong…but I was afraid to die. I didn't want to be killed and I thought that I had been doing the correct thing for so long. It vas vhat I was taught and vhat I was trained to do. I was trained to commit evil acts against humankind.

"So, I stood on my balcony and just watched the shadowy figures, feeling my stomach churning with terror and panic at vhat I had been doing over the years and vhat was going to happen if we lost and were arrested. I was evil, working for evil…but I didn't want to anymore. Either way, I vasn't going to kill innocent people anymore. I was going to stand up to the forces.

"The next day, there was a young man, his ribs sticking through his skin and his dark eyes sunken and hollow. No light reflected off his shadowy irises and he looked like a corpse, angry and decaying. He knelt in the hot dirt, his skeletal fingers brushing through the hair of his dead wife who lay bleeding from three gunshot wounds in the chest. My higher-up turned to me smirking and gesturing with his gun to shoot the man dead. I could only shake my head.

""Do it, Zacher! He is only veak trash. Shoot him!""

"Zo…I raised my gun slowly, the black shining tip sparkling in the burning sunlight on the weapon of death and I took aim. My superior held an expression of shocked horror before the bullet went through his mouth. The body fell to the dust loudly and everyone stared in shock. My fellow soldiers stood, their mouths gaping and their eyes bulging. Why? They asked. Why did I do that? More superior officers walked up, their guns leveled and their eyes shadowed and malicious, wanting to kill the traitor. I vould have my vord before they could that. I dropped my large gun and stood straight, my hands at my sides.

""Ve are the weak ones here!" I yelled. ""Ve can be strong again if ve stand up to evil. There is no hope for us now, but there can be hope for these people. We can help them. We can set them free. I do not wish to kill anymore and I do not vant any more death. We have become mindless killing machines und we have learned to love hatred. I am standing here, before you all, at the hands of death and I am telling you, set them free. Fight against evil. Fight against hatred. We have been doing evil, but that does not mean ve can't stop it.""

"All eyes were on me. I sweated in the summer sun, the smell of death hitting my senses as I pleaded for peace…but it fell on deaf ears. You see, my boy, once hatred takes control, once a person gets the taste of blood and death, they vant more and it doesn't matter who they get it from. I'm sure you know what I am talking about. Friends, family, loved ones. It doesn't matter who it is, but as long as you have hatred within you, you will just be a killing machine. And that is all these soldiers were."

Vegeta's thoughts went to Nappa as the German explained this to him as if he was a child…but it was true. And what if it only got worse? He could not hurt Bulma or Trunks.

"The first bullet vent through my right shoulder and the shock of it inhibited me from feeling the second and third hit me in the stomach. I fell right next to the dead woman and I looked into the eyes of the emaciated Jewish man. His previous anger and fear was now replaced with shock and…hope. I could see in his eyes, eyes that were so full of pain, grief, terror, and anguish, that there was a hint of hope, that the evil in this world could be buried and forgotten, that people could change and see good. I strained to smile as blood bubbled in my throat, but I managed and so did he. I, his oppressor, his tormentor smiled up at him and he back at me. I felt a light happiness fill me before a bullet vent through my head. I knew that for once…in many years I had done right. Even if nothing was accomplished, I stood up for a moment against evil and understood that one could always change…even if it is for a brief few minutes."

Vegeta was trembling as the elderly, sandy-haired man finished his tale. He found his eyes glued to the face of this man…a man, who was so much in the same position he was in. The saiyajin prince, taken from his lavish life at five and forced to do unspeakable acts of evil could feel himself growing attached to the man before him who coolly drank his beer and smoked his cigarette. This human stood up to evil after so long enforcing it. What bravery. Vegeta had never really stood up for good and he had never really wondered how difficult it could be. He felt that it wasn't needed. Who would he have to stand up against while living on earth? It wasn't even a thought in his head and now the questions were thrown at him. If a weak human with no powers to speak of could easily change his mind and defend innocents, then why was it so hard for him to change? This weak human was forced into the circumstances of murder and hatred, so why was it so easy for him to shake off?

Was the prince really so weak that he just flowed with the darkness within him, perhaps killing and murdering and becoming the sick, demented creature he was before? Just hours ago he had taken pleasure in ending the life of someone just like him and it ate him up inside. He didn't have to be like Frieza. There was still time to change! There was still an enemy out there worth fighting. There were still monsters doing unspeakable acts of evil and torturing beings that didn't necessarily deserve it. The Shadow Demons tried to kill Bulma to get to him. Well, that would not happen anymore. Like Zacher, he would stand up against these things no matter what the outcome was. He wasn't just going to sit by and let the horrid things destroy and conquer. Even if it was the last thing he could do, he was going to fight them. He was Frieza no more.

Vegeta stood quickly, startling all three humans as he slammed his gloved hands on the table. His fiery arrogance and burning rage to fight struck him so hard he almost powered up to super-saiyajin. The humans' hair blew back and Patrick's floppy gray hat disappeared in the distance.

"I understand now," The rave-haired saiyajin crowed. "I've been controlled by evil my whole life and I've never done anything to change that. I've cried, bitched, and moaned, but it hasn't helped! I know I'll never be the crime-fighting, super-hero that you humans worship, but I know that I must do something to help stop the darkness creeping through the universe. I'm not going to be Frieza's little pet anymore! I am going to the planet of the Shadow Demons, and I will fight for others that have been hurt or taken by them!"

Running from the table, the short saiyajin sprinted toward the suburban neighborhood that sat a distance from the card table. His heart pounded and his eyes blazed with fire as he ran faster toward his destination…until he plowed face-first into the hard invisible barrier.

The three at the card table groaned and winced as the spiky-haired prince slowly fell back from the "wall" and landed on his back in the rocky dust.

"Um…as much as we feel fer yeh'," Lucky sighed. "Yeh still have to win the card game."

With a low growl and shaking fury, Vegeta trudged back to the table, his nose throbbing and his face burning with humiliation. He was extremely impatient and wanted nothing more than to move on so he could destroy the Shadow Demons, but he knew that he wasn't going anywhere with these stubborn humans. So, regaining his poker face, Vegeta sighed and picked up his cards, now knowing each of the humans much better. But a question still nagged him.

"I know that your crimes were bad," he said, "but why are you all here, in this sector of hell? Shouldn't you be in the first level?"

Patrick smirked and glanced at his two friends. "Well, normally yes. We all spent time up there, you know, for rehabilitation….but I guess the gods just really liked our spirit and sent us down here to work."

Vegeta continued to stare at his cards. "Work?"

"Ja das stimmt," Zacher complied. "I don't know if you saiyajins have superstitions, but believe it or not…some of the earth ones are true."

This caught Vegeta's attention and he looked up curiously.

Lucky laughed and scratched his nose with his thumb. "Aye…we're Grim Reapers."

His voice echoed around the collapsed city and Vegeta's sharp eyes shot to Zacher, Patrick, and then to Lucky.

"Grim Reapers? As in…black cloaks, giant scythes, and the touch of death?" He mused.

"Well, somewhat," Lucky replied with a smirk. "Earth is the only planet that we know of that has Grim Reapers. There are hundreds all over the place, but we are the on'y three around here. When we're called on, we go to earth, kiss our fingers, and give just the tiniest touch to the person who's goin' ter drop. Then the soul just comes out and appears at Yemma's desk and we come back here. Kinda boring, but it's better than bein' on level one with all the nightmarish happiness an' such."

Vegeta found himself laughing at the absurdity of it all. But it made sense. Normal humans didn't really have the powers these three had.

"Wouldn't the Shadow Demons be considered a race of Grim Reapers, too? I mean they collect people's souls…just in a much more violent manner."

The sharp prince didn't miss the somewhat nervous eye glance from the humans as they continued their card game. Zacher bit his lip and placed his cards down.

"They're not considered Grim Reapers….that is only an earthly creation. They are…different."

"Different how?" Vegeta snapped, knowing that they were hiding something.

"It doesn't matter!" Patrick said with a loud laugh. "Because I win!"

The redhead threw his cards on the table and stood up and did a victory dance. Vegeta glanced at the cards and then to his own and a small grin appeared slowly on his tan face.

"In your face!" Patrick crowed, pointing his finger in the smirking saiyajin's face. The boy immediately stopped his dance as he looked at the arrogant armored prince.

Vegeta gently laid his cards right above the wild child's and laced his hands together, unable to hide his amused smile.

"No…in your face."

'That's it for chapter 11. Again, thanks for reading and reviewing and I'll try to have the next chapter out as soon as possible.'


	12. Meetings

'_Hey everyone! Warnings for this chapter: Animal abuse. There will be a sad and cruel scene involving an animal, so if you do not like, do not read. Trust me, I had a hard time writing it. So please, enjoy the chapter or cry…because I almost did!'_

Disclaimer: Akira Toriyama is the original creator of DBZ as are all his characters. This is a non-profit story written from the mind of an obsessive FREAK! Please read and enjoy.

Chapter 12

He stood from the table calmly, a smug smirk secure on his lips. Patrick stood a distance away, his arms crossed as he pouted. Vegeta won. He'd kept a solid poker face, showed no emotions, and defeated the three humans in the card game.

Vegeta's heart pounded now. The barrier was coming down and he was free to make his way toward the Shadow Demons once and for all. And yet, he wasn't nearly as excited as he could be.

Turning to Zacher he said, "The barrier is coming down now. I won."

With pale blue-green eyes the German nodded, though his expression was stoic and cold. "Yes, u von, but vhat exactly is your plan? Surely you know that you didn't just have a change of heart and are going into battle thinking you are pure hearted."

Vegeta's dark eyes scanned over the man as he studied him. "I'm going to fight them, and I will do it without my head held high."

The arrogant prince walked forward and brushed past the ragged German man as he stood in his large green coat.

"Don't you ever think?" Zacher demanded as the black-haired saiyajin made his way to the suburbs. "Have you ever in your whole life thought about vhat you vant to accomplish before going into battle?"

Vegeta stopped and continued showing the humans his back. The questions forced on him were daunting and annoying, and he knew not what the man wanted to hear.

"I go to win," he growled. "All my battles are fought to prove how strong I am."

He heard Patrick hiss with laughter and Vegeta's anger began to rise. Still he remained facing away from them.

"U are going to die if you go headfirst into this battle without a firm plan or idea in your head that you vant to accomplish. In these few seconds you have not changed into a pure-hearted, loving being. You are merely determined to fight. This may very well be your last battle. For once, think of your goals before you go."

The prince's fists tightened as he stared at the large cement truck that continually dumped the gray sludge into a seemingly unending hole. He began to understand what Zacher was saying. The man was right. Vegeta always went into battle to just show off his strength without thinking of the consequences. This battle was different. He was scared of these things….God he was so scared and he was dealing with it in an immature and unorganized fashion. He needed to tell himself right then what he felt and why he was going to jump headfirst into the fight. Zacher was telling him that he was confused, and as usual, Vegeta had missed it. As usual, any emotions of weakness or bewilderment were automatically shoved aside and replaced with his undying, out-of-control pride.

Turning around slowly, Vegeta sighed as he stared at the calm human that was so much like him.

"You are right." He grumbled. "A heart cannot change so quickly. I'm not going into this battle to help defend the innocent. I'm not going into this battle to be a hero. I'm not going to fight these demons as if my heart has suddenly changed into that of some lovesick, happy fool. That would be stupid. But I am going, so that I hopefully change later. If I go now and defeat these things, then maybe I will get better. I've had this illness of control, hatred, and rage my whole life, and maybe, just maybe, if I destroy these things once and for all, I can change.

"Frieza is dead for good, and he no longer controls me. Like you, I'm going to start somewhere and perhaps I will change later on in life…or maybe I won't. But I am going to make sure these things don't come after me and strike me down. I'm going to try and stop them from hurting my family, and if I succeed…then maybe I will decide to change my life."

Zacher stared at the raven-haired being and then a slow smile began to form. "There. That vasn't zo hard." Vegeta's eyes narrowed at the strange man. "You don't want to fight these things without knowing your own goals. And now you do."

Zacher looked at the tall Lucky and childish Patrick and nodded. The three came together and walked to the barrier. Vegeta moved toward them and watched as they placed their hands on the invisible wall. A shimmering glow appeared as the thing wavered and then became clear again.

"Is it gone?"

Lucky nodded and stepped away, as did the others. It was almost as if the humans were making way for a being of high power (which Vegeta really was) as they parted and stood across from each other, beckoning the prince to move forward.

His stomach twisted and his heart thudded in his chest as the anxious eyes stared at him and his gold-tipped boot stepped forward, followed closely by his other one. He had been on rocky, dusty land while with the humans, but it instantly ended in a line as fine, creamy pavement collided with it. He was over the barrier and now he stood in the hilly suburban neighborhood.

Looking back, he could still see the Grim Reapers standing on the other side. He could have reached out and touched them as they stood in two different worlds. Zacher smiled warmly and waved his hand, startling Vegeta as there was a bright flash and the clear barrier was thrown up again. Vegeta's eyes widened as it slowly crept up on him that he was all alone now. Placing a hand on the wall, his stomach twisted even more as he realized no one would help him now that he was this side of the "city."

There was a sound of footsteps behind him and in a frightened jump Vegeta whipped around, only to see a young boy around eleven or twelve slowly making his way toward the loud cement truck that was very nearby.

"That's Ricky," Patrick spoke, causing the already high-strung saiyajin to jerk in alarm. He looked over his shoulder to see the three standing there, watching as the child hummed lightly and checked to make sure there were no workers around. And strangely, there weren't. This boy and Vegeta were the only two on this side of the strange level of Hell and the new person didn't even seem to notice the flame-haired prince standing right there.

"He can't see yeh so don' worry," Lucky said.

"Why can't he see me?" Vegeta asked. "I'm right here."

Lucky nodded and pulled out a cigarette. "Aye. But yeh see. Little Ricky there was a bad kid. Kinda like Patrick on'y worse. He died aroun' twenty and is livin' his crimes over an' over again. His body is in the upper level, but his spirit is here, reliving his awful acts."

"He's late today," Patrick said with much boredom as he leaned up against the invisible barrier. He crossed his arms and smirked. "He's not worse than me. But this is a pretty sick scene right here. I never get tired o' it."

Zacher sighed and shook his head. "Vegeta, if u don't vant to vatch, I suggest you go."

The saiyajin smirked and shook his head. "I've seen worse. Besides, this will prepare me for whatever sick shit I'm going to see later or on my journey as I go."

A cat suddenly pranced past Vegeta's booted foot and meowed softly, its multi-colored face looking up at him. He stepped back as the thing tried to rub against his leg and he, too, leaned against the barrier and watched as the small calico pranced over to the tow-headed boy investigating the cement truck.

Ricky continued to hum and his eyes brightened greatly as he looked at the cat. Seeming very pleased to have some companionship, the short boy picked up the purring creature and rocked the feline back and forth, scratching it behind the ears affectionately.

"Hey there, my little friend," his scratchy voice murmured. "Aren't you a cute cat? I'll name you…Buddy."

Vegeta watched as Ricky walked around the unfinished sidewalk that wound through the large suburban neighborhood. The blonde smiled sweetly as he paced around the truck, gazing dreamily at the thick, plopping cement falling into the boxed off square. Ricky knelt down and stared into the pit in an almost dazed way, his blue eyes moving dreamily with the swirls of thick concrete being poured. Then, without warning, he threw that cat from his arms into the sludge.

Vegeta jumped slightly, absolutely caught off guard from the sudden act of evil. There was a horrid wailing as the calico tried to raise its paws from the wet cement only to be pulled down deeper and deeper. The gray paste stuck to its fur and made movement difficult and impossible as the level of the cement falling from the truck increased the volume of the innocent feline's death.

And Ricky just watched. He watched as the weak, once playful cat shrieked and meowed and made unimaginable noises as darkness swallowed it. It's large green eyes widened until white sclera could be seen and his gaping mouth called for help, its sharp teeth protruding as its pathetic cries fell on deaf ears. Obviously the torture was not fast enough and Ricky grabbed the trough of the truck in which the rushing cement exited and he pulled it over so it fell on top of the cat completely. The horrid sounds of terror and torment were quickly silenced as the small form was engulfed and suffocated.

The boy stood, his face stoic and expressionless as the smooth pavement continued to fill up the rest of the blocked off square. He said nothing and there were no tears, no whimpers, no facial changes, and no sound as he slowly turned away from the concrete grave and walked around the truck. Vegeta watched as the seemingly sweet boy walked calmly away from the awful scene and faded in the distance as he disappeared behind a house. The cement truck just continued to do to its job, and no one said a word.

……………

There was shimmering flash of movement and then suddenly Dende appeared with Yamcha, Gohan, Piccolo, Tien, and Krillin holding onto his small form. Bulma was on her feet in a flash, a fluttering excitement in her stomach as the warriors stood together. She and Goku had been waiting for their return for almost an hour and half and she began to doubt if they were ever going to show up.

"Where were you?" She demanded as she stood before Krillin, her favorite to pick on. "Who knows where Vegeta is now? You guys still have to find that damn Light Angel shit AND you have to find Vegeta, too! It took you long enough!"

Krillin bounced back, his hands up defensively as he wore a nervous smirk. "Sorry, sorry, but Tien and I needed to be explained to. We couldn't just show up to battle we don't know anything about. Besides, we had to find Tien, too, and took like an hour!"

Bulma's eye twitched as her annoyance rose. Did they not care what happened to Vegeta at all?

"Well, you're all here. Now go!"

They all stood looking at the high-strung woman and then eyed Goku standing right next to her.

"It's good to see you again, Goku," Krillin said breathily. "What a way to meet up again."

There was a smack to his head and his short black hair flew forward from the impact. Bulma grabbed his face and shook the once bald monk.

"We do not have time for pleasantries! Catch up on your way to get that cursed Angel stuff!"

"Now, now, Miss Bulma," Yemma chuckled as he leaned over his desk and organized his papers. "I'm sure Vegeta is still fine. I have to give your friends the coordinates to the Light Angel planet and they must report back here so that I can have them safely transported to the Shadow Demon planet to help…save your…"

"Just call him my husband," she snapped, earning exasperated glances from all her friends. "Then quite stalling and tell them already!"

With a loud noise of impatience she threw her arms up and paced around the check-in station. Krillin and Tien eyed each other nervously.

"It's been a rough couple of days," Yamcha laughed sheepishly.

The six fighters gathered in front of Yemma's desk as he explained the way to get to the Light Angel planet. He told them they needed to explain the situation clearly and tell them that King Yemma sent them or there would be no power presented to them.

Goku nodded anxiously and turned to the others. "Alright, lets go get this thing. We have to hurry. We don't know where Vegeta is but every second counts." He looked over the shoulders of his friends and saw a worried Bulma biting her nails. Smiling softly he waved to the fretful woman. "Really! Don't worry, Bulma. We'll find him and bring him back safely."

But even these words didn't sit well with her. Blue eyes shimmered and she forced herself to wave back as her throat choked up. "Bye, guys. Good luck. See you soon."

Goku nodded and put two fingers up to his forehead. Piccolo, Tien, Krillin, Yamcha, and Gohan all put a hand on the orange clad fighter and they suddenly flickered and vanished. Bulma stood silently before Yemma's desk, a hand to her mouth and tears falling slowly. A deep fear churned within her and she couldn't help but think something was wrong.

A small blue ogre came running in from Snakeway, his eyes wild and his face sweating. He made it to Yemma's desk and put his hands on his knees as he panted. The giant red king leaned over and glared at the small man in his white shirt and tie.

"What is it?" Yemma demanded.

Taking a few gulps of air and straightening up, the black-haired ogre wiped his forehead and leaned up to whisper something in his giant ear. Bulma watched as the small man whispered and Yemma nodded, adding a "uh-huh" and "hmmm" every few seconds. She could have sworn she heard the name Frieza, but they were talking so quietly and she didn't want to appear to be eavesdropping.

"I see," Yemma said dejectedly as he sat up shuffled through papers, eyeing them wearily.

He looked quite unhappy, yet somewhat relieved as Bulma watched the confrontation end. The blue-skinned ogre bowed and then took off back in the direction he came. Looking down at her shaking hands Bulma sighed. Yes…something was definitely not right.

…………..

He couldn't say that watching the cruel child kill the cat was too unnerving. He had done much worse in his days. But seeing the evil act had once again jarred his memory and he was brought back to his present situation. He was finally going to the planet of the Shadow Demons. The long awaited battle was near.

He bid the three humans goodbye and slowly walked through the seemingly peaceful neighborhood. The houses and apartments all looked identical, there were cars in driveways, and the sky was bright, yet overcast at the same time. And all the same, in this peaceful neighborhood lurked an eerie darkness. There was just no life. There were no children playing, no people on the sidewalks or in their yards, and no sound of existence anywhere as a large community should have had. It was an atmosphere he did not like. Anything could be drifting through the neighborhood.

He continued on his way, his stained boots softly padding against the pavement of the street as he walked alone toward his destination. He could be flying, but supposed he was in no real rush. Perhaps the idiot earthlings had even found the Light Angel power already. But he knew he couldn't depend on them. He knew he couldn't depend on anything but himself. It was his battle he was either going to lose or win.

Looking ahead, Vegeta could see that the suburban neighborhood simply ended. It was like a cliff, yet his stomach sank as he peered off into the darkness that ended the silent community. It felt almost as if he was on an entire floating fortress. Peering out into the distance, he could see sides of huge canyons, dark, murky brown. Giant jagged rocks protruded from the cliff walls and sky could be seen, black as night, yet clouded with haunting violet clouds sweeping past. He knew that if he walked to the edge and looked down, there would be something down there. Whatever type of scenery this third level of Hell had, it certainly was unnerving and strange.

Vegeta realized that he had stopped walking. It was almost as if his feet were telling him not to go. His knees suddenly began to shake and his mind raced as he began to feel that he was near. Taking a deep breath, he pushed his forward, making his way toward the darkness at the edge of suburbia. One side of him was curious, the other side was screaming at him to not continue in this direction. He knew, he knew deep in his pulsing heart that there was going to be a nightmare hovering below this floating land he was on. He needed to make sure, though. He needed to know if he had finally reached the land of his nightmares, the black, rock planet that haunted his dreams.

And then he was there. Without fully realizing it, his toes pointed out from the edge of the paved streets and cream sidewalks. He stared forward at the towering cliff that hovered over the land of identical houses. He could not look down. A cold sweat broke out Vegeta realized his whole body was shaking.

'_Just look down,'_ he told himself. _'Look down and see if the Shadow Demon planet is there. Just look.'_

And he did. Looking below his body froze and his breath stopped altogether. Like when he was child there it was. Like shiny, glistening aluminum, the smooth black rocks of the Shadow Demon planet stuck out from the surface. The dark, almost blood red sand of the planet drifted here and there across the jagged rocks of death. He could practically feel the icy wind from the planet blowing upward onto his face as he stood many feet above of it. Vegeta was brought back to when he was a child on board Frieza's ship as he remembered the planet blowing up and Walcon sitting on the rock outside, waiting for him, threatening him, terrifying him. The nightmares on this planet were real. This was the true planet, not the false projection that he had visited so many years ago. This circular world of death was large and even more horrible in full viewing. He couldn't do it.

With wobbly legs the prince turned slowly and walked away from the edge. Sitting suddenly he fell on his butt and instantly wrapped his arms around himself. His breath was coming in fast and his stomach kept lurching as if he'd be sick. Almost vibrating with tremors running through his body he rocked back and forth, rubbing his hands up and down his arms as if he were cold, which strangely, he was.

This freezing terror was so unheard of to him. He hadn't even run into the demons yet and he was already breaking down. He thought he could do it. He thought he march right onto that planet and destroy all and anything in his path, but he was held back. This traumatized horror had never left him and he was positive he would die now.

"If I can't even get near that stinking planet, there is no way I can fight and win against these things," he growled, his voice trembling as he rocked back and forth. "I can't do it. I can't do it."

His head lowered shamefully as he continued to run his hands up and down his arms. He felt freezing, almost feverish. This sudden gripping terror ate at him and he grew exhausted as he had before with the weak emotion taking over. He thought he was ready. It disgusted him that he would die without a fight and be trapped within this creature's head forever, but the couldn't go forward. He couldn't fight them. Whoever had sent them after him was going to win, and he would do nothing to stop it.

"Damn it!" Vegeta yelled angrily, punching his fist through the smooth pavement of the road he sat on. "I'm not weak! I can fight these things!"

But even as he screamed it, he knew it wasn't true. If that bastard Zacher could stand up so easily to his demons, why couldn't he, the prince of all saiyajins?

"Of course, Zacher wasn't doomed to live the rest of eternity trapped inside the mind of some psychotic killer, either."

Of course, there was still a chance that he could stop it, too. He was only thinking doubts. It wasn't him to be such a weakling and he needed to force himself to envision the positive aspects of this battle. He was Vegeta!

"I am Vegeta!" He stood suddenly on rickety legs. "I'm not weaker than some human. I can't just sit here and allow myself to be abducted by these things! I'm not going without a fight. I will die on my feet and they will not get the pleasure of hearing me scream."

The prince stood with his head held high as he tried to regain his strength. He told himself to see this as any other battle. He would approach this with pride and power. If he was going to lose, it was going to be while he was engulfed in a flame of yellow energy, the legendary. He brought his fists up and began to raise his power, bringing forth the golden light and amazing energy that he worked so hard to achieve. His black hair flickered blonde and his dark eyes shimmered briefly into green as he began to transform into a super-saiyajin.

"You should have done this sooner, you know. Unfortunately, you won't be turning super-saiyajin for a long, long time," a familiar voice hissed.

His body froze and the power-up immediately failed, turning him back into the black-haired, black-eyed prince he was. He couldn't even find the strength within him to turn around. HE was there and Vegeta was absolutely frozen on the spot. Of course, he hadn't been able to feel him. The creature was just a walking corpse. How long Walcon stood there he didn't know, and now…it was over.

The pain lanced through the back of his neck before the powerful prince could blink. He had hesitated too long and it cost him dearly. As he felt to the ground, he could feel blood erupting in his throat. The thick, coppery taste poured from his mouth as whatever hit him sank into the back of his esophagus. As his vision blurred and faded, he could see the musty black boots step right in front of his face. A wave of death and decay hit his nostrils and Vegeta's eyes widened in terror as a painful and agonizing rage washed through him.

He had failed. It was finally happening. Prince Vegeta was no more.

'Hi everyone! Sorry this was so short, but I assure you the next chapter is going to be great fun…I hope. Anyway, about this chapter. I love cats, ok. I love them like you wouldn't believe. So I was thinking, "What can I put in this chapter that would truly be disgusting and evil and horrible?" Why not kill a cat? If it terrifies and disgusts the author so bad she can barely write it, then it truly will be scary and awful to the readers. Yes, I had a very hard time writing that scene. If I ever saw someone do that to a cat…oh…there would be hell to pay. So remember, animal abuse is BAD and never do it. Ok…hopefully I'll have the next chapter up soon. Thanks!'


	13. Truth

'Wow, I got so many new reviews and I'm so glad that everyone has liked it so far. Sorry, for not updating lately. I've been busy moving into my dorm, but I'm settled now and hopefully the chapters will just start flying out like last year when I started "Dark Past." So, here is chapter 13 of "Creatures of the Nightmare."'

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z and am writing this story just for fun with no profit being made from it. Akira Toriyama is the creator and all characters belong to him. Well…except for the Shadow Demons… hee hee.

Chapter 13

It hurt of breathe. Hell…he couldn't even breathe! An awful aching pain ripped through Vegeta's throat and the thick, coppery taste of blood filled his mouth. The last thing he remembered was sensing Walcon behind him and then excruciating pain lancing through the back of his neck.

Willing his eyes to open, pure, mind-numbing terror gripped him. Cold, lifeless eyes stared back down at him as a mutilated corpse hung from the ceiling. He couldn't think, he couldn't move, he couldn't breathe. He was going to die, and this time no Frieza or Zarbon or Dodoria would be appearing to save him. He was trapped.

Vegeta could hear his breath coming in short, desperate gasps, but it felt as if no oxygen was getting into his lungs at all. Through the numbing terror a voice screamed at him to get up and run. Run for his life! But as he tried to sit up his body roared in pain and the saiyajin could only shudder as thousands of daggers seemed to stab into his weakened form.

Remaining still, an icy panic washed over him and he could only sweat as the walls and ceiling seemed to waver and swirl. His heart pounded in his chest as horrid memories flashed past his eyes. He was a child again and was screaming in horror and agony as the Shadow Demons tortured and killed his allies. His eyes bled and mouth twisted in terror as he was electrocuted, stabbed, beaten, and thrown into….thrown into-

Vegeta convulsed and a pained, muffled groan escaped his aching throat as he tried to remove himself from the hard surface he was laying on. The saiyajin's eyes watered as blood slowly crept up his throat and leaked over his bottom lip. Something was holding him down and it wasn't only around his throat. His lower arms were throbbing, as were his calves, as if there was something jagged and sharp piercing into him. His body was shaking now, shaking from the effort of trying to sit up, shaking from whatever it was that was stabbing into him, and shaking from the sheer terror and agony he hadn't felt since he was young.

His dark eyes scanned the room in a fervent panic, making sure that there were no monsters lurking in the shadows of the mildewed cellar. Vegeta's dark irises swept past the decaying, cold bodies of various aliens pinned to the walls as he looked for an exit. Through blurred frantic vision he could see dark openings in the haunted room, perhaps a door or escape, but even if they were, he wouldn't make it. His brain was clouded and fuzzy as the lack of oxygen and panicked breaths overwhelmed him. He was far too weak to pry his trembling body off the table or cot or whatever awful contraption he was on.

As his vision began to fade and exhaustion overcame him, a helpless, painful grief washed over him. He had failed. Like a useless, foolish child he let his guard down and the evil, disgusting creature found him. If only he hadn't hesitated. If only he had gained his confidence sooner, then perhaps…perhaps….

But it was too late now. Vegeta hated himself as his eyes rolled into the back of his head and his eyelids slid closed. What amazing prince he was to fall so easily into this trap. As the feelings of pathetic failure flooded him, a cool, scratchy voice pierced through his hazy consciousness and he found himself wide awake.

The moldy, rancid face of his tormentor appeared suddenly before his very eyes. Walcon's nightmarish, coal-gray orbs of darkness glittered like slimy snails as he watched Vegeta's young face contort into that of utmost terror. Not even aware that the little breath he had had hitched in his damaged throat, Vegeta couldn't tear his dark eyes away from the demon's covered face. Like it had been when he fought him at Capsule Corp., the beast's gray, rotted skin hung off in loose scraps. An old, molded scarf covered the monster's mouth as if hiding some terrible secret that made Vegeta's stomach leap. As was before, the large brimmed hat was gone and long, spindly jade locks dangled from the creature's head, scratching lightly against the prince's cold, pale cheeks.

"You weren't going to sleep on me, now were you?" The scratchy, hollow voice asked.

Vegeta made a noise as to answer him but could only manage a short choke. He squeezed his eyes shut as the small sound resonated through his damaged vocal cords and more of the bitter taste of blood found its way into his mouth. A flash of anger swept through him as Walcon chuckled.

"Of course you cannot talk. Do you like this little form of restraint?" Vegeta could only glare into the face of the cocky killer. "It's the perfect trap. It doesn't kill, doesn't really damage, but the pain is intense as I'm sure you know." This time the demon cackled and stood straight, towering over Vegeta's prone form. The prince bared his teeth, showing his bloodstained mouth in an attempt to intimidate his captor.

Walcon's amused gray eyes studied the prince briefly before he reached up and pulled an enormous object straight down toward Vegeta. Flinching, and causing even more pain to his body, the raven-haired saiyajin shut his eyes quickly as he readied himself for an onslaught of pain. But the room was silent and nothing happened. A flash of relief ran through him and he opened his eyes, only to feel his blood run cold.

A giant mirror hovered above as it hung from a large black, pole. He was looking at himself, seeing the way he was restrained and it sickened, yet fascinated him. A shimmering, fluorescent yellow beam stuck out from his esophagus and clearly ran straight through the back of his neck. The energy was actually stabbed right into him, yet he was still able to breath slightly and he wasn't dead. There was a ring of blood around the wound, but it was a clean cut.

His wide eyes scanned the mirror as he saw that his lower arms were pinned down, too, his palms facing up as the yellow, knife-like energy pierced his skin and stabbed into the wooden table he was on. There was no blood leaking off the stained surface or anywhere else for that matter. The bright light also stabbed through his calves, though it looked as if it was straight through the bone and ran through the table under his fleshy calves. Still, no blood.

It was no wonder his body ached, though. This bizarre energy ripped itself into his skin, muscle, and bone, making a quick heated entrance. But Walcon said that it didn't even damage the body that much or kill. He felt like he could lose his mind any minute, though.

His thoughts were interrupted as the mirror was suddenly pushed aside and collided with the filthy rock floor. Vegeta flinched again as it shattered and hurt his sensitive ears. In a flash Walcon was right next to Vegeta's face, his foul, reeking breath permeating the air around him and the prince shuddered and tried to look away. His neck was securely fastened to the splintered table, though and the movement caused his head to explode with pain.

"A bit jumpy, eh?" The shadowed creature mused. "How odd. You have fought so many battles in your life, committed so many crimes, seen so many things, yet you have always stood with a stoic, arrogant face. Why do you show your fear now? Why do you give me the pleasure of seeing you tremble, near pissing yourself with terror? How do you know you will definitely not be saved now?"

And he was right. Vegeta stared into the face of this being that horribly tortured him and struck him down when he was a child. Why was he more afraid of this monster than he was of Frieza? He just recently killed that lizard with no trace of fear. That creature of darkness, torture, arrogance, insanity, and pure evil did not affect Vegeta nearly as much as this creature of nightmares did. Frieza had done things just as bad or worse than this demon; yet he was almost willing to not fight back against Walcon.

He had convinced himself that he could not win. His deep-seated fear of his past was the only thing keeping him glued to that table of torment and death. He had looked Frieza in the face and did what he had to do. Now it was time to face this fear. He overcame one nightmare already. It was time to finish his horrible dreams for good.

Before Vegeta could move or react, Walcon's clawed hand gripped the end of the yellow beam of light protruding from his throat and tore the energy from his skin. White-hot pain streaked through his head and Vegeta's vision grayed out for a moment as the sheering agony slowly grew into a dull throb. He was gasping and choking out small spurts of blood, but he could breathe again. Inhaling the rancid, stench of death from the room, Vegeta spent the next few minutes filling his lungs and coughing.

"You were getting too pale for my liking," the cloaked beast commented. "I want you dead, but not too quickly, I still want to have my fun. Still…blue lips is never a good sign."

The saiyajin growled and tried to raise his arms, but quickly grimaced as pain shot through his upper body. He would need to concentrate his energy to get out of this trap.

"So." Walcon said smoothly. "Do you have an answer to my question?"

The two locked eyes and for a moment as Vegeta's glare of hatred pierced that of pure evil. The prince was not going to allow the horrid monster any more amusement. It was time to finish this battle, and Vegeta certainly wasn't going to lay there and let the deranged Shadow Demon play anymore of his games. Slowly gathering up his energy Vegeta sneered and bared his teeth angrily.

"You want an answer, huh?" The saiyajin asked through a pained, torn throat. "HOW'S THIS?"

Blasting up into super-saiyajin, Vegeta caught the Shadow Demon off guard as he ripped his right arm off the table and extended his middle finger at the wide-eyed creature. His victory was short lived, though, as excruciating shocks of pain tore through his arm. Glancing down, he saw that his entire lower, right arm was actually torn open. From below the elbow down to his ulna the yellow energy had really embedded itself in his arm and the force of his pulling had caused it to tear open skin and muscle.

Staring at the blood oozing from the wound, his body jerked in pain as his nerves screamed in agony. This arm was practically useless now. Vegeta was somewhat relieved that the bone was not broken, though.

Sitting in an unusual fashion, the golden saiyajin looked up as Walcon began to laugh. His black robes shook as the tall figure cackled louder and louder. Vegeta growled in frustration and gripped the yellow energy that protruded from his left arm and viciously ripped it out, earning mind-numbing agony from both arms from the harsh force. Blinking in confusion, Vegeta stared down at the gaping, bleeding hole in his left limb, as the energy slowly faded in his palm.

Walcon had lied. The energy was damaging and could kill. But why wasn't there a gaping hole in his throat? Why wasn't he bleeding profusely from that wound? With a shaky left hand, he fingered his jugular and brought his gloved appendage back, seeing there was hardly any red on his fingertips at all. Accusingly, Vegeta glared at the chuckling demon that stood in the corner of the room. Malicious eyes looked up into his and Vegeta began to tremble from the intense insanity in the depths of those dead pools.

"Such a brash saiyajin, you are," Walcon's muffled voice rang. "There is only a certain way you can take those energy knives out. You must know the exact pressure and placement of force. You must also be the creator of them." The demon laughed at Vegeta as if he were an idiot, infuriating the bleeding prince more. "You think I'd pin you down with just any old restraint. Ha! You are such a saiyajin. Now, lay back down so we can get started. I have to go over everything we did years ago so we can begin where we left off: A little kiss before bedtime yes?"

He shaking now, almost vibrating off the table. An uncontrollable rage swept through him and he grit his teeth as his power rose even more. Golden energy lit up the dark, dank room of death, illuminating the alien faces that stared into nothingness. He was not going to be in that collection. He was not going to spend eternity in the head of this mad monster.

Knowing that his legs would be useless once he pried himself off the table, Vegeta formulated the perfect, direct hit in his mind, knowing that he would only have one chance and one hit to finish the crazed demon off. After he took him out, he would be useless with four wounded limbs, each torn and mutilated. His dark eyes scanned the willowy creature, glancing from his legs, to his stomach, chest, neck, and head. He didn't know why the scarf was tied around Walcon's mouth so he avoided the attack there. Walcon's cloaked throat was the best target. If he could decapitate the beast, it could give a few minutes to get away or plan his next execution.

Vegeta grunted as he concentrated all his energy into powering up. Sweat ran down his face, even though the room was icy, and the pressure on his body increased the flow from his wounds. He needed to attack quickly while he was at his strongest and still had enough strength.

Walcon took a step forward, his cracked, gray hand outstretched. "You already proved your stupidity enough, saiyajin. You're going to kill yourself if you attempt to stop me." But even as he spoke, Vegeta could here the uncharacteristic nervousness in the demon's voice. "You can't stop me. It is not possible. Your attack will be useless."

Glowing green eyes rose and stabbed into Walcon's gray ones. An intense fire blazed in the super-saiyajin's eyes as a deep confidence overtook him.

"We'll see about that," Vegeta hissed.

There was a sound of splintered wood and a streak of yellow light as the powered-up saiyajin blasted from the table. Before he could even register the pain, Vegeta's pointed fingers flew through Walcon's neck and stale, faded, orange-red blood splattered the walls as the demon's head collided with the tough surface. Vegeta's world was spinning from the intense energy rush and his adrenaline was causing his body to tremble.

The golden saiyajin stood on rickety legs, his breath coming in fast and uneven as he stared at the gore before him. The long body of Walcon lay at his feet, black cloak and robes splayed out in almost a graceful fashion. Clashing greatly with the darkness was the strange pale blood of the demon, which coated the floors and much of his robes. Now Vegeta stood with Frieza's violet blood and Walcon's orange-red gore on his face and armor. There was a space on the wall clear of the pinned bodies, which was now brilliantly decorated with hanging scraps of gray brain matter, loose strings of hair, and chunks of bone and tissue, making it look like a nightmarish Jackson Pollock piece that had been randomly thrown on a canvas fastened to the wall.

Feeling went out of his legs before he even knew he was falling. Instantly the yellow locks transformed into the silky black and green eyes switched to deep ebony. The prince landed on his back, his breathing deep and his eyes closed as pain robbed him of his energy. His right arm was numb now and the blood leaking from all four limbs was too much. Both legs had been torn deeply, his calves shedding muscle tissue and his shins splintered and cracked from the force of the demon's energy being ripped from them.

But throughout the pain, a bubbling relief swept through the prince. At his feet lay Walcon…dead! Just like with Frieza he had destroyed a nightmare of his past and with him, he felt the memories of his atrocious experience leaving, too. But, unlike Frieza's killing, there was no regret. He felt no strange remorse or guilt. For once, Vegeta had done something right. He had killed this thing of darkness, this creature of the nightmare and he found himself laughing. His small frame was suddenly racked with giddy giggles as he lay on the floor, his mouth upturned into that of great happiness and his dark eyes squinted with relieved joy.

He wasn't truly aware of how stressed he had been for the past day…or few days, he couldn't even recall. He had been living in a world of horror and the amount of pressure he had been under for so long had weighed him down. All he'd need to do now was make his way off the planet, find his way to Dende or get some sensu beans, get healed up so he could become even more powerful, and blast the demented planet into smithereens. It was all uphill now.

With his eyes closed and a content smile on his lips, the sounds of dripping liquid and other creeks were ignored. Relaxed warmth overcame him and he feared (but not too much) that he might fall asleep right there in the nightmarish room. Sighing he sat up, feeling a bit worried that it took him a lot of effort to do so. With a pained groan and aching limbs he managed to swing himself up into a sitting position, only to find himself face to face with a dismantled, shattered ball of gore that was once Walcon's face.

…………

"We got it!" Goku shouted as the six fighters suddenly shimmered and appeared in the middle of Yemma's office.

Of course the playful saiyajin had landed them all right on top of a couple of spirit clouds that shrieked loudly and then hovered away. The red-face giant sighed and put his fingers to his nose. The great man really did like Goku, but the alien could act so childish sometimes. He couldn't blame him, though. Goku was a hero and the red ogre had seen the young fighter do some amazing things. He was simply astounded that the dead warrior was from the same race as Vegeta. The two were complete opposites. And on that thought, King Yemma began to nervously sift through his papers again.

"So how do we get to this Shadow planet now?" The teenage Gohan asked.

Even after all the awful stories he had heard and the fear he had seen in Vegeta, Gohan's saiyajin side was excited as ever to see, and possibly fight, these demons. King Yemma, though, was moving slowly, taking his time as he studied the smaller people before his desk and then back to his papers again. The fighters of earth stared up at the king patiently before Bulma burst in through the men.

"We haven't got all day, you know!" The blue-haired heiress shrieked. "Just give them directions to this damn planet so they know where they're going!"

Krillin and Yamcha tried to pacify the hysterical woman but she was in no mood. Bulma Briefs was back with a vengeance. Stepping up to the huge, wooden desk she stomped her foot childishly.

"Well! Vegeta could be hurt or dying and you're just stalling! They have the Light Angel power! Tell them how to use it! Tell them how to get there! For God's sake, tell them something so they can save Vegeta!"

The room rang long after Bulma's tirade, but still Yemma took his time and calmly looked down at the fuming princess.

"As I told Vegeta, you must travel to the first level and find the yellow clouds that lead down to the second level. The same is on the second level-"

"Hello!" Bulma shouted rudely. "Goku is right here. He knows how teleport, remember?"

The large king was starting to get quite angry now and he leaned over the table, his beady black eyes almost matching Bulma's fiery blue.

"On the third level you cannot just teleport in. It is customary to meet the Grim Reapers so they can let you in. From there, you shall walk through suburbia and there you will meet the Shadow Demons."

The seven disgruntled people merely stared at red-skinned king as he explained the strange directions. Turning around warily, Bulma stared at Goku as she slouched.

"Do you think you can get us there?"

Goku nodded eagerly and grinned. "I can barely sense Vegeta, but because of King Yemma's directions I can get us there, no sweat."

"Good."

Bulma ran over to her best friend and grabbed his arm, much to the other fighters' protests. The group of earthlings were now bickering and fighting as they told the crazed woman that she was not going and the high volumes were causing a vein in Yemma's temple to throb. As Bulma's voice hit a particularly high pitch, the giant stood suddenly and slammed his palms on the tabletop, causing his papers to fly everywhere. His small blue-skinned servants quickly ran onto the scene as they frantically collected the sheets in unorganized piles.

"I am trying to do my job and none of you are helping! Just use the directions I gave you and go!"

The whole room was stunned from the booming voice and it took a while before everyone calmed down. Feeling slightly guilty for being so loud and rude, Bulma bent down and slowly picked up some papers from the polished floor.

Yemma suddenly shot up over his desk and eyed the small woman with some urgency. "No, no, Miss Bulma. Don't worry about picking anything up. My workers are taking care of it."

Smiling kindly the blue-haired goddess transformed from psycho-bitch to incredibly sweet in less than a minute.

"No, it's my fault King Yemma. Let me just help you first and then-"

Bulma stopped speaking abruptly as she eyed the long scroll in her hand that had been blown off the immense desk. Her eyes were wide and her face paled considerably, a look of flabbergasted horror on her face. The Z fighter leaned over and caught the expression of fearful awe and they all glanced at each other in confusion. Shaking her head, her blue locks shivered along with her body. A look of pained guilt and worry sat upon King Yemma's features as he wrung his giant hands nervously. Bulma held the scroll up, her mouth open and her blue eyes watering.

"K-king Yemma….what is this? Wha…"

His thick eyebrows lowered in concern and he fell into his gargantuan chair as if suddenly exhausted. Bringing a hand up to his temple he sighed and shook his head.

"It's exactly what it looks like."

The fighters slowly made their way up to Bulma's sides and peered down at the pale scroll she held.

"THE LIST OF DESTRUCTION." Bulma's shaking voice read. "To further ensure the safety of the universe, these persons have been recorded to be permanently destroyed or rid of. In the views of the Sawers and otherworldly prophecies, I, King Yemma, have assigned permission over to the planet of the Shadow Demons to seek out and eliminate all and any threat to the lives of the innocent in the universe." A few drops of tears fell onto the old script from the woman, but she was determined to carry on. Her sparkling blue eyes peered over the whole paper and she took in a small gasp. "This scroll was written about fifty years ago."

Her eyes stabbed into Yemma's and she shook her head in shock.

"How long have these creatures been in hire?" Piccolo asked, sickened that the Otherworld "government" would actually assign such monsters to do these things.

Yemma's eyes lowered shamefully and he folded his hands together on the desktop. A few minutes passed before he looked up again.

"The race of the Shadow Demons…they….they have been around for nearly 8,000 years, but I-we did not hire them until, about, 900 years ago."

There was a collective moan from the group as they heard this. The trusted, all-knowing "good-guys" of the spirit realm were nothing but mindless, vengeful beings. Goku however was in shock. The savior, hero of worlds had put so much trust into this King. He had considered him a friend and one who he could look up to. Did King Kai know about this? Did the Grand Kai? Did all the gods in the spirit world agree to let these torturing, awful monsters kill and capture people forever?

"How many people?" The wild-haired saiyajin managed to get out. "In 900 years…how many souls have these…MONSTERS taken?"

Keeping his expression grim and stoic, Yemma's lips pressed into a tight line. Speaking to an angry Goku was actually quite frightening. Knowing the amount of power the smaller man had was intimidating. Also, being scolded by the good-natured, loving saiyajin was very harsh and embarrassing. Yemma could feel his red face getting even redder.

"All we know is that we tell the Shadow Demon the target and let them…go."

Bulma's hands were practically ripping through the paper as rage filled her small frame. Shaking, her body tensed up and she just wanted to hit something…or someone. The large open room had become amazingly quiet. No cloud spirits were talking and no ogre workers were moving. Her hatred and anger seemed to keep everyone at bay.

"So many lives," Goku murmured. He felt as angry as Bulma. With a flash of anger he glared up at Yemma, his hair sparking gold briefly and his eyes hinting a metallic green. "You can't just allow these monsters to go around torturing and killing and capturing people! You have no control over them! It doesn't matter what these people do, they don't deserve that fate! They don't deserve that death!"

"Goku's right!" Yamcha cut in. He wasn't nearly as enraged as Bulma or Goku, but he felt disgusted by this whole scenario, too. "Just last night Bulma and I were almost killed by these things! Piccolo had to fight them, too! You are only giving them power and permission to destroy and kill and hurt anything they want."

King Yemma opened his mouth to reply, his own anger rising, but Bulma let out a shrill noise of outrage.

"This scroll was written fifty years ago!" She began to read the names of the listing, starting a few names before Vegeta's, seeing as how he was near the bottom. "Re-llil The Great, age 39, King Oneywrulo, age 520, Yimj-2, age 14, Rivgarth The Horrendous, age 289….Prince Vegeta…age 5."

Shaking her head as if trying to clear a nightmare, Bulma looked up at the king peering down at her, feeling like she wanted to throw up and then back down at the crumpled scroll.

"How could you know?" She whispered. "How could you possibly know how Vegeta's life would have turned out? Why didn't you send them after Frieza-or-or King Vegeta? Why jus-just a young boy?" Bulma was crying now. She barely noticed Yamcha's arm around her shoulder. Through bleary vision she glared up at the red king and sniffled miserably.

King Yemma was feeling sick now. So many accusing eyes were piercing into him and the rage and fear from Bulma was horrible. It was the worst guilt he had ever felt. In the most possible soothing voice he could manage he peered down at the small crowd of fighters and human girl.

"The Shadow Demons have limited power, but like any other race, they can get more powerful. Similar to the Saiyajins, they get more powerful after extreme damage, but not damage to their bodies…but to their planet." He rubbed the bridge of his nose, knowing that he was going to have to come clean and explain the whole story to them. He at least owed them that much.

"I can only find…I can only assign as many names to that list as I can. At that time Frieza was too powerful for the Shadow Demons to fight. In this spirit realm we have what are called Sawers who are prophets and can sense visions of the future. Many of the names on that list were seen doing acts of evil and murdering and destroying, even before they even thought about it themselves. Unfortunately for Vegeta, the Sawers prophesized a bit of his future and we had no choice but to put his name down. At that time, he was two, so I thought I'd give him a year or two to see if things could change. He was still quite so young. But he had already killed at the age of three and was under Frieza at the age of five. Of course, everyone knew of Frieza and his manipulative ways…so…I felt I had no choice but to mark him." Bulma opened her mouth to argue, but he rose up a large hand to calm her.

"We had to wait for the right moment and mission to send him into the hands of the Shadow Demons," he explained, feeling like a man on trial. It was difficult to relate this story to Vegeta's friends and loved ones. "After a year and a half we still didn't have much luck, so I had to send in messages to those in the living realm."

"Messages?" Tien asked.

Yemma nodded. "Yes. The Sawers are able to project ideas and thoughts into the minds of others. Not control, you see, but just images or brain waves. So one of the Sawers sent the picture into one of Frieza's men…Zarbon." Bulma, Krillin, and Gohan nodded, knowing exactly who the man was. "She sent him an image and idea of the strange, unique planet of the Shadow Demons, enticing him to have Frieza send someone to check it out. While the conversation between Frieza and Zarbon took place, the Sawers discreetly sent them thoughts saying that they should send Vegeta and that he should leave immediately. And I'm sure you all know, it worked."

"Yes, but Vegeta escaped and the planet was destroyed," Gohan pointed out. "If these demons are so good at jumping from dimension to dimension, world to world, why did it take so long for them to find Vegeta now?"

Yemma nodded and being agreeable to answer, he launched into the explanation. "It's a bit tricky to describe, but I'll try my best. The actual Shadow Planet resides in Hell. That is where Vegeta should be at right now." He cringed at his mindless wording. "Now…when they were in the living realm, the actual Shadow Planet was still in Hell. The one that Vegeta landed on all those years ago was basically just a rock with the illusion and "hologram" of the actual planet, but it still took a lot of energy to project. Now here is where it gets tricky."

King Yemma seemed to get very nervous suddenly as he shifted in his seat. He bit his nails absentmindedly and then shook his hand as if removing dirt from his fingers.

"The actual race of the Shadow Demons died out around 3,000 year ago."

The earthlings' head snapped up and they stared at the giant ogre in confusion.

"How is that possible?" Bulma asked as she wiped her eyes. "You said they've been around for 8,000 years and Yamcha, Piccolo, and I just witnessed seeing them. Vegeta is down there fighting them as we speak."

King Yemma shook his hands trying to calm the frantic girl. "I know, I know. The Shadow Demons were bad even when they were alive and kicking. They just traveled from planet to planet torturing, raping, and killing. The only difference then was that they didn't have the power to capture people's souls for eternity. Well, one time they traveled to a barren, black-rock planet that held no inhabitants. All power was lost from their ship and planets who had communication with them never heard from them again.

"Hundreds of years later, we got word that this planet was haunted, because aliens would land on this world and were never seen or heard from again. And, well, haunted planets and otherworldly errors are in the spirit realms jurisdiction so were obligated to check it out. After much investigation we discovered something haunting yet amazing about that planet."

The seven people before leaned forward in anticipation.

"The planet was alive. The whole deserted, black planet had its own soul and own powers. It was weak, though, because it had no body or strength of its own. It was just a floating, alien planet. So, when the Shadow Race landed, the planet itself forced the beings into insanity even worse than they were already in. The shadow people went mad on that planet and ripped each other apart and they were all killed. And ever since then, the shadow race has become the demons that are a part of that planet. The planet sometimes collects souls to keep itself alive and…entertained. The Shadow race still has the desire to kill, torture, and destroy, so altogether, they co-exist."

The tale was horrible. The fact that an entire planet by itself was horribly evil was terrifying, but that it droved a race to madness and now controlled hundreds of dead bodies was even more awful. Bulma dropped the scroll and felt herself getting dizzy. It was all too much. This whole situation was hopeless.

"Why would you want that, then?" Krillin demanded. "Why would the people who work hard to do justice and control people's fates hire these monsters?"

Feeling angry at the accusatory tone, Yemma growled deeply in his throat. "At the time I was just a mere worker so don't look at me when the planet was taken into Hell. The planet and the fact that it had control over an entire race of dead people fascinated the higher-ups. The souls of the Shadow people still rest within the planet to this day. The rulers of Otherworld believed that opposed to punishing the planet for being what it was, why not put it to good use? So started the Shadow Planet and its hunt for evil. When I came into power, I had no right to disagree with what had been working for hundreds and hundreds of years, so I just did as I was told and I merely make a new list every fifty years."

"That still doesn't answer why it took so long for these Demons to attack Vegeta now! He's been out of Frieza's command for a long time now and he's changed!" Gohan hollered, his fists clenched in anger. "He doesn't deserve this. It sounds like the Shadow Demons are hired to kill people while they're still committing evil acts or even before, and Vegeta hasn't done a single evil thing since he's come to earth. Why didn't you stop them?"

Yemma tapped his fingers impatiently, his face turning dark red as if embarrassed. "When Frieza destroyed the planet of the Shadow Demons, it set them back a long time. The planet had to reconstruct the bodies that were damaged and it had to regain the energy lost from the concentrated illusion. By the time it was ready to continue the hunt, it was way behind schedule. The opportunity to get Vegeta had come and gone and we were very backed up on the list. So, for the next many years the Shadow Demons were continuing on with their jobs, seemingly forgetting about Vegeta. And a new list was created without Vegeta completely and that was that. End of story, one evil villain forgotten.

"But for the past few weeks we haven't had any prophecies or problems, so the Shadow Planet has been left alone and we have not called upon it. It…it wasn't until Dende came here for the Light Angel power that I realized what was happening."

There was a moment of silence before Bulma put her fingers to her mouth and let out a small whine of fear. She was terribly pale and shaking from the sheer horror of it all.

"They went after the one they missed. After all these year, the Planet, Walcon, the Demons, they remembered. It went after Vegeta even after the charges were dropped." Her large fearful eyes stared directly at the giant, but she didn't even see him. A gripping terror wrapped around her heart and she trembled violently. "Y-you don't have control over them anymore….do you?"

She watched as Yemma's face flushed and he closed his eyes. Slowly he shook his head and sighed in defeat. Bulma's breaths were quick and short as panic gripped her. There was no stopping it. After the planet finished off Vegeta it would become a plague and attack anything in sight.

The last thing Bulma saw was Yemma's worried face before her eyelids slid shut and she fell back into strong arms.

'_Finally! Ok, sorry again that it took so long. But hey, the last chapter was really short; this one was really long, so I hope you liked it. I'll try to have the next chapter out as soon as possible. Thanks for reading!'_


	14. Panic

'Hi, everyone! Sorry it has taken me so long to update this story. I've been at a bit of a loss as to how I should approach this chapter. I hope I did ok. But, luckily to Monsterfest and Halloween, I've been slightly inspired to begin again! I really want to thank all those who reviewed, especially Lupin Goddess, who leaves long, awesome, helpful comments and inspires me to continue. Ok, this chapter contains violence, gore…and really weird situations so beware!'

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z. Akira Toriyama does. This is a non-profit story written just for fun.

Chapter 14

She heard the angry voices in the distance, as if her friends were standing far off from where she lay. Things sounded a bit calmer and Bulma wondered how long she had been out. The last thing she remembered was discovering the awful truth about the plans of the gods and spirit realm, and then passing out. The terse voices of her friends were speaking softly, yet angrily, and there was a slow rumble, as King Yemma would respond lightly to every question asked.

"So, all the Kais know about the Shadow Demons then?" Goku's voice demanded roughly.

Bulma knew that tone too well. It was rare when Goku grew angry, but he made himself known when he was. The betrayal and fury behind his words were vibrating against the open walls of the check-in station.

"That is correct," Yemma replied softly. "The majority of them don't get involved, though. Like King Kai, many of the gods do not work in that area and are only responsible for their sections of Otherworld."

"But they still knew about all this." Goku whispered.

His voice shook as he spoke. He had been betrayed. King Kai and all the other Kaioshins were completely dishonest with him. The fact that the so-called leaders of the afterlife turned a blind eye to such atrocious actions was deplorable.

"The fact that this is the order and discipline used in the afterlife is extremely disturbing," Piccolo grumbled. "But we have more pressing matters at the moment. First off, we need to save Vegeta from this whole situation. As we decided before, the Shadow Demons are no longer under Otherworld jurisdiction and are not likely to follow any orders given by the Kais. We need to get Vegeta and stop them as soon as possible before they become a plague to the universe."

Bulma opened her eyes to find herself staring at a very detailed and lovely ceiling. Blinking, she sat up slowly, her head pounding as she gazed around King Yemma's check-in station. She had been placed in the corner in the shade, a small pillow resting where her head had been. Several feet away the fighters of Earth grouped around King Yemma's desk, all of their expression tense and serious.

The giant red king nodded slightly, his eyes downcast with shame and anxiety as the most powerful warriors in the universe glared up at him.

"I will send word to the Grim Reapers of the third level to remove the barrier so you all may get through."

Bulma watched as they nodded and glanced to each other.

"The Light Angel power," Piccolo boomed, "how do we use it in a way to permanently destroy the Shadow Planet?"

The blue-haired woman on the floor stared intently as the large king clasped his hands together.

"Destroy the planet," he replied simply. "Throw all of the Light Angel power into the core of the planet. The corpses of the Shadow Demons are completely upheld by the planet, so once the world itself is destroyed, the whole problem will be alleviated."

"Then lets make our way there now," Gohan spoke up. The young boy had the fiery determination of a saiyajin warrior. The prince he had grown to care for and respect was fighting for his life and he refused to stand by and let the glorified saiyajin be destroyed in such a way.

The fighters agreed and turned to Goku. The dead fighter brought two fingers to forehead as he concentrated on the miniscule power of Vegeta that had been fluctuating on and off for the past hour. Closing his eyes he felt his friends place their hands on him, waiting to be transported to the planet of doom. Shimmering and flickering slightly, Goku felt a tingle as his body began to turn into particles of light. Just as the small group was about to disappear, there was a surprised gasp from one of the fighters and a quick addition to the energies of the Z fighters.

With a snap of light and the sound of sharp electricity the warriors instantly found themselves on the edge of what looked like…a suburban neighborhood. Goku blinked his large childish eyes and turned to his friends, only to find himself staring down an angry Yamcha gripping a sheepish Bulma.

With a surprised cry Goku leaned forward, his mouth opened in shock. "Bulma!" He cried. "You should NOT be here!"

"She grabbed on at the last moment," the sour human said.

"Gee, I wonder where she learned the compulsive, act-before-you-think mindset from?" Krillin asked sarcastically.

Goku sighed and placed his large hands on his hips. "Well, I guess I can still take you back."

In a flash Bulma was back on her feet and glaring Goku in the face. "I don't think so, Mister! I have done nothing but wait and worry and wait some more. I'm coming with you guys and I am not going to just pace about waiting for Vegeta to come back to me!"

There was a sarcastic laugh from Tien as he crossed his arms. "You're not coming with us. From how it sounds, we're going to have a hard enough time protecting ourselves. We can't keep an eye out for you."

Bulma clenched her fists and growled angrily. Pointing a finger at the three-eyed man she was about to respond, but was suddenly interrupted from an accented voice behind her.

"She's a hotty. We'll have no problem watching her."

The group quickly turned around and was met with the relaxed, smirking faces of a tall blonde man, a shorter sandy-haired man, and a short redheaded boy.

"Patrick, calm yerself," the tall blonde one chuckled. Placing a hand on the young Irish child's shoulder, the built man smiled warmly. "Yeh'll have to forgive the young one…gets a bit…anxious when near such a beautiful specimen."

Feeling a heat rise up her neck, Bulma put on a cold front and turned her back toward the new people.

"Well…are we going?" She snapped.

"Feisty, too!" Patrick laughed.

"Um…who are you?" Gohan asked.

"Grim Reapers," the sandy-haired man answered simply. "I took the barrier down zo you can go to the Shadow Planet. It sheems to be the popular place today."

A shudder of annoyance ran through the blue-haired heiress and she whipped around. "Well then thanks for letting us through, but we really must be going. I'm sure you're aware of out plight, and my prince is in need of our help. So, farewell, lets go guys."

Turning back around, Bulma stormed toward the broken edge of the suburban neighborhood and came to an instant halt as she peered down. It was like a sudden strike of terror deep in her heart as her blue eyes stared down at small black planet.

"Ach so," the German man muttered loud enough for all to hear. "She's the one he vas talking about."

Bulma's ears perked up and she slowly turned from the icy breeze lifting up from the planet below. Her shadowed eyes peered into the stranger's with a questioning gaze.

"The prince practically told us about the lovely lady zat varmed his heart. It appears true if a powerless thing like you is villing to face the Shadow Demons."

There was a moment of silence as Bulma continued to stare at the man. It seemed that Vegeta had encountered the three beings, and the fact that the arrogant, proud prince would admit something like that to strangers was an amazing occurrence. Her heart began to pound painfully in her chest and she looked away as tears began to form in her eyes. The aching weight of needing her raven-haired prince by her side was too much and she needed to be with as soon as possible.

"We're going," she said loudly.

"You're not coming with," Yamcha growled.

The fighters were struck with shock as Bulma's icy eyes turned to glare at them all. With her mouth set in a thin line, her blue locks blew into her face as the haunting planet below beckoned her. Without a word, the Capsule Corp. scientist launched herself from the edge of the cliff and fell through the icy wind.

………….

Was it ever going to end? Was it possible that this creature was immortal? He had splattered the brains of the cursed monster against the corpse-infested wall. The head had been decapitated and blow to pieces. The body had fallen! He watched it fall and die. It lay unmoving for so long.

He thought he had killed Walcon at last. He allowed himself to relax and take in the final victory, but then he had sat up. He sat up expecting to see the colorful array of flesh and brain matter plastered against the dirty, concrete wall…but instead…he came face to face with the dripping, mangled ball of gore that had been Walcon's face.

The tall-blackened body was sitting completely upright; it's red-orange, rancid blood dripping from the facial region as tiny pieces of charred black skin slowly crept across the face, reconstructing it. Like worms and maggots crawling across the flesh, the blackened rotting skin wrapped around the bleeding mess, horrifically reforming Walcon's mouth and nose.

Vegeta had somehow managed to crawl backwards across the floor, his wide dark eyes glued to the nightmare before him. With his legs splintered and bleeding and his arms almost useless from the gushing wounds, he pushed away from the demon as if in a trance. He watched as Walcon's bony, rotted fingers slowly lifted and rested in front of the empty eye sockets. As if tracing the wound, the demon suddenly shoved the dry, dead fingers into the gaping holes and dug around, causing more of the red-orange blood to stream out over the still forming face. The index fingers paused for a moment within the eye sockets before curling slightly and pulling out. Without a breath Vegeta watched in utmost terror and disgust as the narrow fingers slowly slid from the sockets, bringing the coal-gray, dead eyes up to the surface.

The willowy figure cranked its neck sickeningly as the head was almost fully formed. The eyelids blinked the hazy stain of blood from the gray orbs, and then those haunting eyes shot toward the injured saiyajin backed against the wall. With a bleeding, toothy grin, Walcon slowly stood, his black cape and cloak sprawling out behind him, as he grew taller and taller. The dead eyes never left the now shivering prince as the lanky creature stood at his fullest.

With a cruel, amused grin, Walcon brought a hand up and placed the palm against his angular, sharp chin. With a disgusting crack, the demon readjusted the joint and licked the reformed, charred lips. Strips of flesh still hung from the gray, rotted skin, but Walcon took no notice. He only had his victim in his view.

"How?" Vegeta stammered, his face growing paler and paler from his growing horror and loss of blood. His limbs were almost numb now from the giant wounds he had practically inflicted on himself, and the fact that he could barely move was an even more frightening experience.

There was a low chuckle as the Shadow Demon took a step forward. An uncontrollable trembling had taken over Vegeta, and his blurring vision was becoming worse.

"H-how?"

With a full laugh, Walcon threw his head back revealing a row up jagged yellow teeth. "I told you, you stupid saiyajin! I cannot be destroyed! None of us can. Destroy our bodies; we'll just come back. Shoot us, stab us, blow us up, and mutilate us, but it will be useless. I will always win."

Vegeta shook his head as his heart pounded in his chest. The spiking pain that shot through him caused his body to jerk and twitch, but he could do nothing to stop it. The same as when he was a child, he was rendered helpless and weak, but this time, he had done it to himself. He had thoughtlessly torn Walcon's weapons from his limbs and used all his energy to take the beast down and it still hadn't worked. He was still going to be tortured and devoured. Once again…he had failed.

Walcon bent down so he was face to face with the pale, shaking prince. Vegeta's darkened eyes glared at the mangled mask of the demon, his eyes piercing the monster's lifeless eyes with pure hatred and revenge. His saiyajin instincts were raging to tear the creature apart, but his body could not respond. Blood still seeped from the holes in his arms and legs, and his muscles and bones were cracked and torn. With a low growl, Vegeta bared his teeth at the rotted corpse as the demon moved closer.

With an amused chuckle Walcon suddenly gripped Vegeta's chin and pulled the saiyajin even closer. Vegeta gagged at the stench of he horrid beast and tried to pull away, but he was far weaker than the thought. The mere motion of jerking away or shifting was exhausting and his tingling, aching limbs screamed in agony at any small movement.

Walcon gripped Vegeta's chin harder, causing the prince to let out a muffled groan of pain. The demon grinned at the sound and leaned even closer until his nose was almost touching Vegeta's. The prince gagged and tried to pull back again, but he was held tight in Walcon's grip. The wounded warrior's eyes shot open wider as Walcon's gray, stinking tongue shot out and licked the tip of his nose, leaving a slimy streak of rancid saliva that completely overtook the saiyajin's sense of smell.

Vegeta gagged again and let out a disgusted low moan, but he remained motionless. Walcon turned the prince's head side-to-side as if examining his attractive face, and took much interest in Vegeta's half-squinted, humiliated face. The demon grinned. He was a master of torture and pain, but embarrassment and shame was something he didn't do very often to his victims. It was a rare task, but earning this silent, resilient reaction from such a proud and arrogant being was far too much fun. He could see why Frieza had enjoyed the young warrior so much.

With one hand still gripping Vegeta's chin, the other long, bony appendage traced up and down the once shiny, clean armor he wore. Feeling his mind growing dizzy with dread and weakness, Vegeta's dark eyelids could not stay open much longer. He felt the deranged being sliding his disgusting hand across his chest and stomach, but a small cloud seemed to engulf his mind. He wasn't sure what the demon was doing, but he wasn't experiencing any pain, and he could no longer keep himself awake.

The hand suddenly left his armor and traced down lower, sliding across the tops of his thighs down to his knees and then back up again. Cracking an eye open, Vegeta let out a clenched whine of fear, but was quickly silenced as Walcon tightened his grip on his chin, forcing his head against the filthy wall behind him. With his head tilted back, the prince could not see the actions of the psychotic creature, but the trailing finger on his aching; bleeding legs was far too uncomfortable. He let out a surprised and startled yelp as the hand shot up further suddenly and fluttered past the inside of his thighs.

Vegeta's heart was hammering now with an intense dread that was all too familiar. He had dealt with a situation like this before, but it was too awful to think about. The fact that a half-dead corpse was leading to this type of action was too terrifying and it made Vegeta sick to his stomach. His eyes were wide open now as the hand, yet again, traveled further up his thigh and slid across his lap. He recoiled in horror and tried to hold in a whine of anguish, but the weak sound erupted from his throat anyway.

Walcon was enjoying himself too much. He had never done anything like this to a victim before, but it was a wonderful way to tease. After reading the prince's mind, he learned that this was one of the best ways to get inside the saiyajin's head. He could handle beatings, verbal insults, and blows against his pride…but this type of harassment destroyed the prince so easily. He found the teasing far more entertaining. Making the prince believe he was going to create a new kind of torture such as this was so delicious, but he would not go any further. A strike of fear here, a poke of terror there, and then he could get on with what he did best…the actual torture of pain.

The wandering hand fluttered past Vegeta's trembling thighs one last time before Walcon brought his face forward to the gasping prince and promptly licked the whole left side of the saiyajin's face. With a choked sob-like sound, Vegeta's eyes squeezed shut as the stench of the beast's disgusting saliva dried on his face. Walcon gripped Vegeta's chin harder and lifted the short warrior up to eye level, his stained white boots hanging far from the dusty, grimy floor.

The blood from Vegeta's wounds dripped onto the floor and his dark eyes rolled into his head. The demon knocked the prince's skull against the concrete wall enough to jar him back into consciousness. With a clenched jaw, the wounded being squeezed his eyes shut as a wave of dizzying illness swept through his insides.

"Hm," Walcon mused. "You're already passing out on me. I'm sure the shock of pain will wake you up, though. But since you're so eager to just lie down and die, I guess we can make it short…then it's here for you," he hissed, tapping the side of his head to indicate Vegeta's soon to be eternal prison.

The choking warrior let out an angry growl and was quickly thrown onto the horridly filthy wooden table just as he had been when he was six. With a loud gasp of pain, Vegeta's world went black as his injured limbs landed roughly on the splintered surface. With a harsh slap to the face, he was bought back to reality and moaned low in throat as his world spun and his heart raced.

"Now…what shall we start off with?" Walcon mused as he circled the jagged table.

Vegeta listened as he heard the demon's black boots walk across the broken shards of glass that had once been a giant mirror. Walcon chuckled slightly and the saiyajin sensed that the beast had leaned down. Blinking slowly, Vegeta's heavy, blurred eyes watched as the black figure moved closer, a shimmering object in his hand.

Through a dazed, drowsy head, the prince barely registered that the tall demon was removing his gloves. A slight sense of coldness swept across his bare hands, but the terror toward his soon to be torture had not yet registered. Walcon hummed as he held the narrow, thin piece of glass up to the dim lighting in the cellar and he smiled as he picked up Vegeta's limp right arm. Sifting through the prince's soft fingers, the demon didn't hesitate to bring the needle-like tip of the glass upward to jam it under Vegeta's fingernail.

A horrid feeling of stinging acid erupted in his hand as the nail lifted and was bent back, the shard of glass sticking out from the skin. Vegeta gasped and let out a small choke of pain as blood leaked from the wound. His hazy vision swept back and forth across the room as his entire bleeding arm pounded in agony. Walcon didn't hesitate in finding several more two-inch, narrow splinters of glass and inserting them into each hand, sliding the shimmering smoothness under the fingernails.

Vegeta's stomach lurched at the feeling of having the cold, thick objects stabbed into his nails. He was panting as his stomach lurched about, hot saliva running from his mouth as he proceeded to dry heave. Walcon let the hand drop painfully onto the table, the appendage looking as if Vegeta had grown glass claws. The Shadow Demon rubbed his chin and hummed lightly.

"That was all fine and good, but a bit boring." He peered down at Vegeta's faded eyes and shocked, dazed expression. "I need something that'll wake the bastard up and make him scream."

Turning away from the tortured being the towering monster paced the room. His long rotted dread locks swung back and forth as he moved and his billowing black clothes swept behind him. Thinking back to earlier, the horrid demon stopped pacing and smirked. The prince was extremely personal and very loud, and it was obvious that any form of physical prodding was the worse kind of torture for the arrogant being.

"Seeing as how you won't be alive much longer, I suppose you won't be needing the ability to speak. And besides…I haven't eaten anything in a very long time and it's been too long since I've had the delicacy of Saiyajin meat."

Vegeta only half registered that the beast had been talking. He was ready for his long sleep and only wanted this agony to end. His whole body felt numb now, but still his muscles jerked and twitched painfully as it slowly died.

Walcon appeared above him suddenly and he barely understood the fact that once again the demon had taken grip of his chin. The yellow, rotted teeth were what his unfocused eyes rested on as the long chipped fingers of the monster slowly traced his numb lips. A tingle of worry swept through him the demon's long fingers parted his pale lips and Walcon's face drew closer.

Without any warning, the horrid, decayed fingers slipped inside Vegeta's mouth. The prince's eyes watered and he began to gag as the awful, rotted skin of the monster's fingers fished around his gaped mouth and grasped his tongue. Vegeta tried to writhe away, but he was far too weak. He could only manage a pathetic flutter on the table as Walcon brought his face closer.

The yellowed, grimy nails of the demon pinched his tongue and tears of disgust and pain leaked from the corners of Vegeta's eyes. He was whimpering now. Walcon was so close to his face, their skin was touching.

The Shadow Demon's chapped lips pressed against his own and Vegeta couldn't help but let out a keening muffled scream. It tasted like death in his mouth and decayed flesh sat upon his tongue. The pinching of the fingers ceased and was instantly replaced by a much more painful and piercing stab of Walcon's yellow, broken teeth. The demon bit down deep on the back of Vegeta's tongue and the coppery, salty taste of blood filled both their mouths. The saiyajin on the table cried out into the monster's mouth, which only intensified the brutal attack. The yellow, jagged teeth sawed through the muscle and Walcon let out a low hum of delight at the taste, as Vegeta's eyes streamed with tears of stinging pain.

He was screaming now as the burning, piercing agony erupted in his head. The Shadow Demon was going to devour his tongue, and from there, it could only get worse. A deadly panic gripped the prince and he tried to thrash away, only to have the teeth slide deeper into his flesh. Walcon was definitely taking his time as he drank the sweet blood, and Vegeta felt as if he was losing his mind. The taste of his own blood seeping down the back of his throat caused him to gag and choke, but still Walcon's corpse-like lips smashed to his own.

The demon had to have bitten through his tongue by now. The pain was too excruciating and he just wanted it to end, but this was a creature of torture that knew exactly how to make his victims scream. The monster would take as much time as he wanted as he chewed off the saiyajin's tongue. With a final blink of the eyes, Vegeta, let out a low, defeated moan and let his eyelids slide shut as the pain overtook him. He could no longer fight back.

Through a clouded, barely conscious head, the gnawing agony suddenly seemed to lessen, though his tongue throbbed painfully in his head. There was a sudden withdrawal from his mouth and it seemed that there were other voices in the room. He couldn't tell if Walcon had gotten what he wanted; his entire face felt numb now and he worried that he might suffocate on the blood running down his throat.

"….n't you know?" Walcon's voice hissed through Vegeta's head. "A Saiyajin's tongue is a delicacy. You should try it sometime."

Vegeta's muffled ears picked up a harsh reply in the distance, but he couldn't tell whom it was. The voice was angry, though…and young.

"Ah…so I'm guessing you're quite the meal, too. It's unfortunate you have human blood, though. The blue-haired woman to the prince here was none too delectable," Walcon spoke, his long fingers tracing Vegeta's cheek as he did.

The barely awake prince heard another thing said and then a loud yell. Through his closed eyelids the room lit up with a golden glow and his extremely weak senses felt the sudden explosion of powerful energy. With one last hopeful thought, Vegeta prayed that it was one of the earth fighters, before he quietly slipped into a deep pained sleep.

'_Ok, so that's it for chapter 14! Sorry it was so short…sorry if it was too violent! But, if you liked it, please let me know. I will try to get the next chapter up as soon as possible. Thanks!'_


	15. Arrival

'_Well…it has been a while. Last chapter was updated for Halloween…so I guess this chapter is for Christmas. Hee hee. Anyway, sorry for making you all wait. The finals for school were crazy and I had absolutely no time to write. But, now I'm back and hopefully I can get some updates going quicker this time. Thanks for reading and reviewing and now, here is chapter 15.'_

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or any of the characters. They all belong to Akira Toriyama…well…except for the Shadow Demons.

Chapter 15

Gohan couldn't believe what he was seeing. He had heard the stories about the Shadow Demons…but this was indescribable horror he was viewing. The recently turned fifteen-year-old happened upon the horrible scene, his heart slamming in his strong chest as his dark eyes swept past the deathly form of his prince, Vegeta.

The whole situation felt out of control as soon as they left King Yemma's check in station. The main problem was Bulma. This journey was definitely not something the blue-haired woman could survive through if left by herself, and none of the fighters really knew how to approach the upcoming battle with the demons. They had no real plan, they didn't know where Vegeta was or what condition he was in, and they would have to baby-sit the thick-headed woman while trying to fight off a pile of walking corpses. It was bad enough when she decided to attach herself to Yamcha in order to arrive on the third level of hell, but then the crazy human decided to launch herself off a gargantuan floating surface, her frail body plummeting toward certain death. Luckily for her…everyone around her could fly.

After Yamcha dove after her, and the rest of the fighters swooped down on the surface of the dark planet, their eyes sweeping across the looming black rocks and shiny, almost metallic ground. There seemed to be a pale yellow fog surrounding the jagged planet, making the haunting rock appear desolate and dead. Shivering in the frigid wind that swept across the land, the fighters glanced up at a narrow, tall castle silhouetted in the rancid sky. Jagged and black like the rocks and cliffs of the planet, the castle held a disturbing evil that hovered around it. The mere sight of the awful structure made the earthlings' stomachs sink in a numbing dread. Most of the fighters had not yet experienced the wrath of the Shadow Demons, but the slightest step on its surface could tell them that it was a place of torturous darkness.

It had been easy to access the castle. Walking through the enormous black doors in front of the building, the fighters of earth found themselves standing in a shadowy, musky hallway, the scent of blood and death carried throughout the air. The corridors to the hideous place were barely viewable, as dim, fluttering candles burned on the walls creating a flickering orange light. It was silent in the nightmarish structure, and death lingered in the shadows.

"Can any of you sense anything?" Goku had asked, his soft voice sounding unusually loud in the cold entrance of the building.

The fighters concentrated their minds as they reached out for any signs of power or life in the building. A few minutes passed and Bulma wrung her hands nervously as she looked at each of the warriors' strained faces.

"There!" Gohan cried. "Wait…no…it's gone again. Oh…I can barely keep track of that energy." He murmured to himself.

The fighters looked at the young fighter and then concentrated on his brain waves, searching in the same direction he was "looking".

"Yes," Krillin said. "I sense something there, too. It's the only life I can feel in here. It's…" he cracked an eye open and glanced at Bulma's tense expression. "It's so faint. I can hardly tell if it's Vegeta."

The blue-haired woman felt her heart plummet as a numbing panic gripped her. Freezing in place, Bulma let out a grief-filled moan of despair and began to tremble. Gohan gave the poor woman a pitied stare as tears formed in her blue eyes. That energy he felt had been Vegeta's and it was fading fast. Whatever these monsters had done to the prince was horrible if the strong warrior's power was that low. The demons had to be stopped. This whole planet needed to be destroyed.

"Well, let's go then," the teenager snapped, catching everyone off guard.

"Like actually go find the demons?" Yamcha replied nervously. "Why don't we just fire this Angle Light energy into the planet? That will destroy the demons for sure!"

Bulma was in the scarred human's face in a flash, her fiery blue eyes still wet with tears. "And then what? Destroy Vegeta, too?"

Backing up slightly, Yamcha gave her a nervous smile. "But…we have the dragonballs. We can destroy this planet…then wish Vegeta back."

The fighters watched anxiously as the woman's face turned a brilliant shade of red, her small fists clenching at her sides. Unconsciously they backed away, her rage surrounding her like a flaming red aura. Bulma's hand connected with Yamcha's face with a loud smack, her body trembling from the stress and anger pulsing through her.

"We are not going to just blow up this planet and kill Vegeta! We are here to save him and then put an end to these horrible monsters! I cannot believe you would even suggest a thing, Yamcha!"

With a hand to his sore cheek, Yamcha felt his own anger rising. Opening his mouth to respond, he was immediately silenced by a very familiar and very horrifying rattling coming from the shadows of the large entrance they stood in.

The fighters all tensed at the wheezing loose breath that resonated throughout the darkened area. An almost agonized moan crept across the air and Bulma found herself instantly in the arms of a very frightened and shivering Yamcha. She didn't know if it was he who clung to her or vice versa, but the two humans knew exactly what that sound meant. Their wide, panicked eyes glanced at Piccolo, who had also gained a haunted, shadowed expression of fear.

"Oh no," Bulma moaned as her hands clung to the front of Yamcha's shirt. "No. Not again."

Goku's dark eyes swept over the duet, their expressions telling him exactly what was in the room with them. Looking past their shoulders, he gasped slightly as a looming black shadow seemingly appeared from the wall, its face covered and its robes fluttering behind it. Instantly the smell of flesh hit his nostrils and he flinched back, his hand flying to his nose.

All around the small group of fighters the hooded, robed figures surrounded them, their swaying, staggering bodies encircling them. The room filled with the sounds of deathly groans and rattling breath, a few of the beings wheezing with amused laughter at the fear and disgust on several of the fighters' faces.

"I'm guessing these are the Shadow Demons?" Tien muttered, all three eyes scanning the area around them.

Piccolo nodded, his turbaned head visibly shaking in the dim corridor. The Namek had only fought a few Shadow Demons before and the monsters had been injured and missing limbs then. As his dark eyes took in the sight before him, he couldn't even count the duplicating beasts that surrounded them. The fighters had the Light Angel power, but that could only be used to destroy the planet. Using it on the actual corpses would do nothing. The soul of the planet would merely revive them again and again.

"Anyone got a plan?" Krillin's shaking voice asked almost humorously.

Through the fear in the fighters' heads, Vegeta's power level dropped once more, his life energy at a dangerous mark. Gohan flinched slightly and his heart began to pound with nervous tension.

"Split up," his young voice said, his brain trying to piece out a plan.

The fighters glanced at their youngest warrior and then back up to the monsters that were slowly gliding forward.

"And leave just a couple of us here to fight these guys?" Tien asked incredulously. With a slight scoff, the bald man gave the boy a sarcastic grin. "Sorry, kid, but these things will find us no matter what. I know Vegeta is important to you, but we need to save our asses first and then move onto bigger matters."

Gohan cut Bulma off before she could respond to the cold response, his eyes serious and dark. "Yes, they will find us," he replied snappishly. "And we will run. We split up and keep the demons on a chase. That will buy us time to find Vegeta and keep all the demons busy at the same time. With all these bastards preoccupied with us, it'll be much harder for the soul of this planet to keep an eye on each individual person. Once we are ready, Piccolo will fire the Light Angel power into the core of the planet and then…we go."

Goku felt a proud smile form on his face. Obviously Chi-Chi had done her part in keeping the boy a genius and it had paid off. The other fighters also stared at the young fighter, a similar appearance of pride and enthusiasm at the half-saiyajin's charisma.

"So, how should we do this?" Yamcha asked, sweat running down his face as the demons crept uncomfortably closer. "Travel in twos? One on one? One of us has to stay with Bulma," he added rather quickly.

Goku chuckled at his friend's nervousness. True, having Bulma around was not going to make things easy, but the genius scientist always managed to find a way out of sticky situations.

"Yamcha and Krillin…you go with Bulma. Make sure to stay on the run and try your hardest not to face these things." Goku said.

"Trust me. I've already tried fighting them. I've got the bite marks to prove it," Yamcha replied, rubbing his hand along his cheek.

"Tien goes with Piccolo and Gohan and I go to Vegeta."

The fighters nodded, their anxiety building as they anticipated leaving the circle of growling, hissing demons. There was sudden movement as the demons let out piercing shrieks and instantly appeared much closer, no shudder of movement being detected.

Tien stumbled backward at the snap movement as Goku and Gohan gasped. Just as quickly, the demons rushed forward, their feet hardly touching the ground as they hovered forward. The earth fighters had never seen movement like this, as if the demons were just snapping before them like pictures being taken.

"GO!" Goku hollered.

Powering up the fighters blasted off the ground and separated themselves as they all flew in different directions. Yamcha held a screaming Bulma as about twelve shadow demons glided after them, the rushing wind blowing their hoods back and revealing hideous faces of death. Screeching louder, Bulma's nails dug into her ex-boyfriend's shoulders as loose gray skin hung off their attackers' faces, their yellow teeth bared and coal-gray eyes flashing dangerously. Through the winding hallways the fighters flew, the mass of demons never stopping its pursuit.

Goku and Gohan raced down the darkened hallways, their black hair whipping behind them. Always having their minds tracking Vegeta's power, the father and son ignored the seven demons that followed. Racing past red lit rooms filled with blood and devices of torture, the saiyajins held their breath as horrid smells they had never experienced burned their senses. They must have been in the hallways of torture and death. But then again…that was what the entire castle was made of.

"Time to play with Pretty," A gasping voice rattled from the wall that Goku flew nearest to.

Both warriors let out a surprised cry as the stony black wall burst open, a slimy rotted green slime oozing from the crumbling bricks. Even at the speeds the two were going, a black, spindly tentacle reached out from the jello-like mess and snaked around Goku's ankle. Bringing energy to his hand, the third-class fired a blast of red light into the gushing fluid that oozed from the still falling stones. The bizarre substance merely absorbed the powerful energy as yet another wet, black line protruded from the mess of green slime and gripped Goku's right hand.

"Dad!"

Gohan flew forward, the palms of his hands pressed together. With a shattering kame-hame-ha blast, the fifteen year old watched in shock as this attack was also absorbed by the awful stuff. More of the green slime gushed from the spindly black "branches" and much to both of the saiyajins' horror, a gaping mouth opened. Lined with monstrous gray and yellow teeth, the beast chomped up and down ferociously and drew Goku in closer. Glowing red eyes, ghastly and bloodshot opened up all over the black and green "flesh" of the creature and a cruel laughter could be heard.

"What a lovely snack this shall be," a crackling and willowy voice echoed from the wall.

With a frustrated and enraged scream Gohan brought his energy forward, his eyes turning into a brilliant shade of green and his short black hair lifting up into an angelic lemony blonde. Driving his fist into the mass of strange fluid, Gohan released a jarring energy wave into the center of the thing, his blue power heating the substance until it bubbled and burst all over the two.

The black tentacles writhed all over the floor, and the green jello slowly crept across the stained ground as it tried to make its way back into the cracks of the wall. Breathing deeply, the father and son looked at each other's slime covered faces and let out shallow laughs. The lighthearted sounds were quickly cut short, though, as the high pitched crying wail and moan of the shadow demons could be heard directly behind them. Standing up straight, the two fighters waited for the monstrous beings to appear. Goku glanced down at his powerful son, the boy's face set in determination for the battle to come.

"Gohan," the orange clad fighter said softly. His son's sharp eyes turned to him questioningly. "Go save Vegeta."

"What?"

"I'll hold these demons off. If we both try to stay and fight, it could be too late for Vegeta. Help him while I delay these demons."

Worry passed over the boy's features and he wiped some green slime from his soaked bangs. "But, Dad. You don't know what these monsters are capable of. They aren't like us. They can't be killed. You…died once already. I don't know what I'll do…if I lose you for good."

The earth saiyajin gave his son a warm smile and placed a loving hand on his blonde head.

"Gohan, you know better than to sit here and worry. You are the greatest fighter in the universe and you know what you must do. Go save our prince so we can get rid of these guys for good." He brought his son to his side and gave him a tight hug. "Besides, you know I can beat them. Don't tell me you think I've lost the ability to fight in these years of being dead," he added with a laugh.

Gohan chuckled along with his father and nodded. "I believe in you, Dad. I'll go now." The young fighter turned and prepared to take off into a run. Looking over his shoulder, the handsome demi-saiyajin smiled. "I'm glad to see you again, Dad. I've missed you a lot."

And with that, the teenager sprinted from the situation, leaving his strong and confident father to lead the shadow demons away from the room that held Vegeta. The green slime flew from Gohan's face and clothes as he raised his power higher and whipped down the haunting, maddening hallways. Ignoring the moans and whimpers that erupted from nearby rooms he flew steadily forward, his feet carrying him toward the room that held Vegeta's diminishing power. He didn't know what he'd find…but he certainly didn't expect to see this.

A looming black figure leaned over a splintered wooden table. The young super-saiyajin could see stained white boots sticking off the end, unmoving. At his arrival into the horrid room, Gohan bit back a shocked and terrified gasp. The entire room was covered in…dead bodies. Bodies he had never seen before and bodies that appeared very familiar were somehow stabbed into the walls. Blank glassy eyes stared forward, the skin rotted and hanging off the bones. Pale purple and blue skin covered the corpses and limbs were missing. There was blood all over the room and broken pieces of glass. Tables full of dull and jagged tools caked in gore sat around the wooden slab in which the tall demon hovered over. Gohan could only stare in horror at the sight before him, a fear and disgust so strong had taken control over his trembling frame that he could not move.

But the Shadow Demon did move. Gohan heard a low chuckle as the beast straightened up, his head turning so the young saiyajin could see the bleeding mouth crack into a cold, amused grin. Stepping aside, Gohan felt his fear grow stronger, his mind almost begging the creature to stay where it was so he would not have to see what was happening to the prince.

Alas, though, the looming demon turned completely, his narrow, rotted fingers gripping a bleeding piece of flesh within Vegeta's slack mouth. Gohan held in a small squeak of fear as his green eyes fell on the dazed, almost lifeless face of his ally. Vegeta's eyes were partly closed and blood streamed from his mouth. He hoped, no, prayed, that the demon was not holding onto the full-blooded saiyajin's tongue, but the rotted fingers released the bleeding muscle and it fell back into the choking victim's mouth with a dull smack of wetness.

"Wha…What are you doing?" Gohan whispered, his voice gone due to the tightness in his throat.

Walcon stood tall and chuckled with much amusement. Gohan noticed the strands of gray and green flesh that hung off the creature's face in loose strands. A pale red-orange blood had dried underneath the decayed scabs and the monster's chapped gray lips were stained with a darker red of freshly produced blood. Licking his disgusting lips, the tall demon grinned, his orange-stained teeth jagged and broken like shards of glass.

"Didn't you know?" He hissed. "A Saiyajin's tongue is a delicacy. You should try it sometime."

Gohan's hand rested on the stony edge of the doorway, but immediately withdrew as his fingers brushed the hair of a gray corpse stapled to the wall. Trying to form words in his dry mouth, the young fighter shuddered as the smell of blood and other bodily fluids invaded his sensitive senses. He had seen many things in his young life, things that no person should ever have to see…but this was a nightmare he could never have imagined. This creature was no fighter. He was not a saiyajin that was trained and bred for battle, he was not an evil tyrant with the goal to control and conquer, and he was not on a mission to gain power or get a point across. This monster, this entire planet was here to just kill, torture, and mutilate people. There was really no reason behind its motives. To tear apart and spread fear into its victims was all this evil planet and its people wished to do…and disgusted and terrified Gohan.

"I am half human…and half SAIYAJIN," Gohan growled, his voice shaking strangely. He had just walked in on this thing devouring Vegeta's tongue. The earthling could feel the bile rising in his throat. "And you have no right doing to this to the saiyajin prince."

This caught Walcon's attention and his dead gray eyes shimmered with interest. "Ah…so I'm guessing you're quite the meal, too. It's unfortunate you have human blood, though. The blue-haired woman to the prince here was none too delectable," Walcon spoke, his long fingers tracing Vegeta's cheek as he did.

Gohan jerked as he heard the thoughtless, taunting words. The monster spoke with amusement as he mentioned the torture he had inflicted on his friends. Clenching his teeth angrily, Gohan's eyes widened as Vegeta let out a choked gasp and coughed up a spurt of blood. His green irises peered at the broken saiyajin and he had to hold in the cry of outrage at the damage done to his limp body. Immediately he observed the gaping, bleeding flesh on both arms and both legs. His red blood dripped onto the table and seeped onto the filthy floor from the wounds that were torn into his flesh. Looking past Walcon's draped clothing; Gohan brought a hand to his mouth as he gagged. Narrow shards of glass were embedded under Vegeta's fingernails of his right hand. Brilliant red blood covered his fingertips and created small streams of red rivers, which wound around the stained table he lay upon. And the blood continued to seep from his parted lips. The horrible demon said that he was about to consume Vegeta's tongue. The brilliant child knew what dangers a severed tongue held. The artery within the muscle had obviously been sawed through and the blood Vegeta was loosing was ending his life quickly.

Gohan watched as Vegeta convulsed again, his almost gray eyes widening as he struggled to breath. With a pained cry, the prince's pale skin bleached of all color and he fell completely limp, his eyes sliding closed. Gohan froze, his face concentrated and tense as he searched for Vegeta's power, his panicked mind finding no trace of life. The boy watched as the decaying corpse of a monster glanced down at the body without any remorse. With an annoyed sigh, the demon leaned over the body and peered into Vegeta's face.

"I guess there is still time to take his soul into me. I didn't expect the weakling to stop functioning so early."

Gohan tensed up as Walcon grinned at him and pried Vegeta's mouth open. The demon formed a strange light upon his fingertips and shot the energy directly into the prince's throat. Gohan jumped in surprise as Vegeta jerked back to life and let out a gurgling breath, a small stream of blood trickling over the corner of his mouth. The super-saiyajin knew what was about to happen. This demon was going to collect Vegeta's soul. He was going to take the prince inside him for eternity and there he would be tortured until the end of time.

Gohan felt a slow anger begin to burn within him. He had just watched Vegeta die on the table and did nothing. Again, he froze and due to his fear he almost lost an ally close to him. Now he was just going to stand there in terror as the prince of all saiyajins was about to be sentenced to an eternity of torture and pain? No…way.

With a wild scream of rage, Gohan felt his power burst out of him. His limbs tingled and his skin felt as if it was on fire as he felt his energy go over that of a level one super-saiyajin. His voice rose along with his power and Gohan could feel his blonde hair lengthen slightly and spread. Yellow electricity crackled around him and his piercing green eyes shimmered vibrantly as his rage and disgust became a beacon of power for him. His mind was clear and his blood flowed like steel within in his veins.

Walcon's face actually showed a wild-eyed expression of shock at the sudden ferocity that appeared in the boy, his emotions going from intense fear to controlled anger in a matter of minutes. He didn't have long to dwell on the intense change of appearance as a hard-knuckled fist plowed into the side of his face.

Walcon felt the right side of his jaw fly sideways as his teeth burst through his left cheek. The demon's lower jaw was sent hurtling off his face and collided with the wall of death, his yellow teeth bursting and scattering across the floor. Staggering sideways, Walcon lost his hold on Vegeta's soul, his willowy body tumbling to the floor.

Gohan stared at the mess and then at his fist in surprise. He had not expected a mere punch to tear away the demon's entire face. It was a disturbing and nasty feeling of power, which made him sick to his stomach. But he had learned from his battle against Cell that he could not let the monster get up again. Hoping that an energy blast of immense magnitude would stall or at least be rid of this particular demon, Gohan brought his hands forward and gathered energy for a powerful kame-hame-ha. The blue light swirled around his palms until he could barely see through the brightness of it all.

With a loud yell, Gohan released the energy on the lanky monster, the power slamming into the gray, cold ground and burning straight through the floor. The stony ground burst and sent chunks of rock across the room, the dust and specks of dirt along with other particles of filth clouded the room like a film of death.

Gohan coughed and ran to Vegeta's side, his heart freezing as the pale fighters face showed no sign of life. Pressing a cold finger up to the tortured being's throat, Gohan let out a harsh breath of air as a pulse could be felt. Leaning forward, the tiniest bit of breath could be heard. It was not too late. Gohan tried to clear his mind and think, but there was so much he had to do. Vegeta was almost dead and he needed to be helped immediately. Dende was at King Yemma's and his father was out fighting the demons. It could be timely and costly to have them teleported to Dende and then back to this planet. Also, Gohan wasn't sure if anyone had any sensu beans. And if anyone did have one, how could an almost dead person consume one? With a frustrated moan, Gohan placed his hands underneath the prone saiyajin, preparing to carry the prince to safety.

A rattling, bony arm reached over Gohan's shoulder, the muscle and skin hanging off grayed, cracked bones. Hot breath whispered in his ear along with a spray of bloody saliva. Rancid breath attacked his nostrils and Gohan's eyes widened in shock as he felt the bony, molded body press up against him.

"Like the prince had to learn…I am not so easy to kill."

Leaping over the table, Gohan stood across from the crooked, drooling demon. Letting out a disgusted growl, the super-saiyajin two blinked in shock as the shadowy beast stood before him, his lower jaw partly gone and the bone sticking out in jagged shards. Blood covered saliva dripped from the shattered bones onto the front of his moldy black robes and his long, green-gray dread locks hung in his eyes.

Gohan placed his shaking hands on Vegeta's chest, his mind racing as he stared at the mutilated being. The young fighter had heard about the demons' powers, and the fact that they could turn translucent and almost invisible like a ghost was making them a difficult enemy to defeat. This monster must have gotten lucky and disappeared right before his kame-hame-ha wave struck him.

'_Pity,'_ Gohan thought bitterly. _'By the looks of that hole in the ground, there would have been nothing left of this creature.'_

Gohan's saiyajin mind demanded that he stay and fight the demon until there was nothing left, and his super-saiyajin two body told him that he could crush the beast into pieces. But as he looked down at the bleeding prince he knew that he had to get Vegeta to safety as soon as possible. His hands tightened against Vegeta's shattered armor. It was time to stick to the plan…and run.

'_Ok, that's all for now. Again, sorry for not updating lately. Finals and holidays are a killer. I'll try to update soon. Please let me know what you think! Thanks!'_


	16. Awake

'Hello, all! Well, thanks a bunch for the reviews and your continuing interest in this story. I love all the lively comments and great reviews…it's what keeps a story goin'. So, here is chapter 16 of "Creatures of the Nightmare."'

Disclaimer: No! I don't own DBZ. It's all Akira's idea.

Chapter 16

Gohan's small hands gripped the front of Vegeta's destroyed armor as his sharp green eyes glared at the looming beast before him. The young boy was shaking, but not from fear. His anger was continuing to rise and he wanted nothing more than to attack the shadow demon head on for what he did to Vegeta. But Gohan was smart. He knew that with Vegeta in this condition they wouldn't have long. The full-blooded saiyajin needed help immediately.

Walcon watched as the golden-haired warrior blurred suddenly and disappeared. There was a slight chill from his rapid movements, but the weaker shadow demon could not trace the movement. Blinking, the decaying corpse eyed the splintered table that Vegeta once lay on. Both saiyajins were gone.

With an annoyed grumble Walcon closed his eyes and bowed his head. There was no way the boy could escape from his grasp. The planet itself had eyes and could sense him. Walcon grinned and slowly faded from the room. Chases were always fun.

Gohan sprinted down the cool, musky halls with the bleeding prince in his strong arms. He could sense Vegeta's life fading with each step he took and a desperate panic gripped the young fighter. As wind blew past his face he tried to locate his friends. It felt as if some were fighting and some were still running. Perhaps he could locate his father and get Vegeta to Dende before all the earth fighters were doomed.

Sweat beaded on Gohan's face as he searched for his father's ki. It was distant, but still kicking. A confident smile appeared on his face and he sped up. Unfortunately, at that moment, Walcon decided to appear from the wall next to him.

At the speed the demi-saiyajin was moving, the mere outward punch from the shadow demon's fist sent him off balance and spiraling into the nearest wall. Vegeta flew from his grasp and landed in a heap against the cracked and mildewed rock. In a twisted ball the injured prince let out a choked cough and shuddered…then fell silent.

On one knee, Gohan's green eyes widened more. Vegeta's energy was flickering dangerously low and the fall had wounded him even more. From the shadows Walcon emerged, a sinister grin on his charred blackened face. His yellow teeth glinted in the pale red light from the nearest torture rooms and he seemed to glide as he approached Gohan.

But the boy didn't care as his anger began to rise. The slow burning fire crept its way from the pit of his stomach and slowly made its way across his skin. Squinted, enraged eyes shot up toward the billowing black creature and the second level super-saiyajin screamed. Shooting to his feet, the furious fighter sped forward, his hands curled in angry claws as he rushed the surprised beast.

There was a rushing cry of air as the golden-haired warrior sunk his booted foot into Walcon's thin stomach. There was a crunch of bones and a spray of bodily fluid as the extreme force crushed the demon's organs. The kick slammed into Walcon, sending the cloaked figure straight through the nearest wall, the momentum of the boy's power carrying through several more rocky structures until he blasted right out of the castle. In a vicious rage Gohan followed.

The super-saiyajin watched with cold eyes as the black shadow fell down towards the shimmering, black rocks below, his mouth open with shock. In a flash, Gohan followed, his body becoming a yellow blur as he plowed straight into the monster, his tough shoulder driving the demon further into the blackened floor. But even as the shadowy figure lay still for a moment, Gohan continued his angered assault, his fists moving like jack hammers as he plowed them into the shriveled, disgusting face.

Bulma had been clinging to Yamcha's back the entire time as a gang of the hideous monsters chased after them. Several times Yamcha had to yell out as her clawed nails almost gouged his eyes out as her hands flailed about. Krillen followed close by, his voice echoing off the stench-ridden hallways as grayed, rotten claws reached out for him, the chipped, broken nails narrowly missing. Both humans were tiring when suddenly the floor and walls around them burst and began to crumble. Yamcha was falling before he knew it.

The floor at their feet cracked and fell in as an enormous power streaked below them. A gargantuan hole ripped through the nearest wall and Bulma screamed as rocks and debris rained down upon them. Krillen and Yamcha gasped in surprise as a lanky black figure was thrown directly past them and then followed by a golden streak of energy. A whirlwind of power surged through the air blowing back the three shocked humans as Gohan clearly ignored them (or just didn't see them) and chased after the shadow demon he just threw through the castle.

"Looks like Gohan is doing the chasing now," Krillen chuckled nervously.

Yamcha nodded, his longer hair tangled and wild from the sudden blast. Blinking, the fighter brought himself out of his dream and looked around, his dark eyes widening as he saw Bulma up side down against the dirty wall. With a surprised "oh!" the scarred human crawled over to her and righted her so she was sitting up, her blue hair a crazed mess. Bulma brought a hand to her suddenly pounding head and moaned. Perhaps she should have stayed with King Yemma up at Snake Way.

Yamcha glanced around the destroyed area and whistled as he looked up and down and saw the different floors that were torn out from Gohan's attack. Jagged floorboards stuck out from the wreckage and black, dusty rocks continued to fall from the damaged ceilings and floors above and below. Strangely enough, too, was the fact that no demons surrounded them anymore. It seemed that they were also distracted from the huge amount of energy that surged from the boy. Yamcha let out a triumphant smirk and stood.

A quiet, deathly moan suddenly drifted from the shadows near some fallen rocks and Yamcha found himself suddenly behind his blue-haired ex-girlfriend, his hands gripping her shoulders and terrified eyes peering past her head. All three earthlings waited for an army of shadow demons to emerge…but nothing happened. It was dead quiet now.

"Y-You heard it, too…right?" Krillen whimpered.

Yamcha nodded and gulped, but was instantly pushed away as Bulma stood, her hands on her hips and blue eyes piercing the man that huddled near her feet. With an annoyed huff, the Capsule Corp. heiress shoved the trembling being away with her foot and stepped away from him, stumbling over the destroyed floor as she did.

"Use your powers and try to identify if there is something actually back there," she demanded before moving forward anymore.

The fighters nodded to each other and concentrated, their minds searching out for a familiar energy…if there was one. Bulma watched nervously at their strained faces, her stomach sinking and her knees suddenly shaking as a feeling dread slowly spread through her. She didn't understand what was causing such a feeling, but her gut was telling her that something was wrong.

Krillen's eyes slowly opened and a dark shadow seemed to rest over his features. Very slowly he peered at Yamcha and nodded. Bulma stepped aside as Yamcha stood, his face serious and tense, a good sign that something bad was about to happen. The two humans walked over to the nearest boulder that had fallen and glanced around the side. There was a sharp intake of breath and both warriors slowly turned back to Bulma, not surprised that her blue eyes were already watering.

"What? Who…who is it?"

A forlorn look passed over their faces and together they gripped the large rock and rolled it aside, revealing a site that made Bulma let out a horrified gasp. Stumbling forward, the beautiful woman fell to her knees at her bleeding love's side, her hands running over his still, cold body searching for any signs of life. A numbing panic had gripped her and her shaking fingers pressed against his pale neck. At first she could not find a pulse and tears began to stream down her face. But the wounded fighter let out a shaky gasp and jerked in agony before falling silent again.

Bulma let out a choked sob and rolled the prince over. With an anguished moan her panicked blue eyes swept over his body, taking in all the blood and injuries he had. A hand came to her mouth as she observed the giant stab wounds in his arms and legs and the almost blackened blood that poured from his mouth. Her shaking hands reached for his and she drew back quickly with a terrified squeak as her fingers brushed against something rough and sharp. Wide eyes glanced down and Bulma almost gagged as she saw the thin needle-like glass strips that protruded from his fingernails. He had been tortured.

"Oh, Vegeta," she moaned. Leaning forward she pressed her forehead into his bloodstained armor. "What are we going to do?"

Krillen and Yamcha knelt down beside her, each placing a comforting hand on her shoulders.

"We can go get Goku," Yamcha said. "He can teleport him to Dende."

"We don't have time," Bulma hiccupped as she cried harder. "We can't go looking for him and Vegeta is in no condition to be moved."

Krillen leaned in and squeezed her shoulder. "Lets try a senzu bean then."

Blinking through her tears, the blue-haired woman looked into her friend's face. The once bald monk gave her a confident smile and nodded, then reached into the pocket of his orange pants and lifted up a pale green bean. A heavenly light seemed to shimmer around the amazing vegetable and Bulma threw her arms around the surprised man. Tears ran down her face as a sudden relief engulfed her. They might just make after all.

"Why didn't we know about this?" Yamcha asked.

The black-haired monk grinned and rubbed the back of his head. "Well, you see. Eighteen didn't really want me to go into battle without a senzu bean, so she had one stashed and gave it to me before I left. She's such a sweetie. She just can't help but act like a girl sometimes."

The short human was cut short, though as Bulma gripped the front of his shirt and gave him a threatening glare.

"Lets hurry this up, bud."

Gulping down his fear of the occasionally psychotic woman, Krillen turned his attention back to the dying prince. Scooting forward, the nervous human placed his fingers at the saiyajin's mouth and parted his lips. He stared for a second or two before letting out a wretched gag and turning away. Yamcha and Bulma merely watched as he composed himself and turned back to them, his eyes wide with horror.

"He…he…his tongue. It…"

Bulma stared at him for a moment longer before surging forward and peering into her prince's white face. His mouth was partly opened and she tugged at his lower jaw to get a closer view of what had unnerved her friend so greatly. Yamcha and Krillen watched as her usually pale skin became even paler. Bulma looked up at her friends with an aching grief and disgust in her eyes as her hand began to shake on Vegeta's jaw.

"It looks like his tongue is almost…severed," she gulped.

Yamcha let out a squeamish "guh" of disgust and stood quickly. "Can he still…be given a senzu?"

Bulma's blue eyes slowly turned back to her prince, his skin far too white for her liking and his breathing shallow and quick. A determined fire burned through her. She was not going to let him die.

"Krillen, crush the senzu into a fine powder."

The short human blinked and then sidled next to her. His fist was already in action, crunching the pale green bean into tiny particles.

"What if he can't swallow it, though?" he asked quietly.

Bulma felt her stomach twist in knots as different scenarios played out in her head, each one ending hopelessly.

"I think if we even manage to get just a trace of this bean into his system, he can make it."

Krillen heard the determination in her voice and nodded. Leaning over, he shuddered as he looked into Vegeta's mouth. Sprinkling the crushed bean into the saiyajin's slack mouth, the three earthlings watched nervously. The last few bits of senzu slipped from Krillen's hand…and then the wind blew.

The giant hole in the wall and ceiling created by Gohan and Walcon whistled loudly as the icy wind from the planet blew through the damage. The chilling gust struck the four beings that crouched near the corner…and Yamcha, Krillen, and Bulma watched in stunned horror as the remains of the healing bean was swept from the small monk's hand. Still holding his fingers over Vegeta's mouth, Krillen turned to the wide-eyed, blue-haired woman, his mouth agape and body tense.

Bulma shook her head, knowing that this situation could be much worse. At least he was given a bit of the bean…enough to keep him alive.

"He needs to swallow," she said as if in a trance. Yamcha and Krillen looked at each other quizzically. "We need to get him to swallow whatever he has in his mouth!" Bulma shrieked, flying forward so she sat next to Vegeta's head.

Lifting him so his upper back was resting in her lap, Bulma pressed her hand over his mouth and lightly shook him, hoping to wake him up or at least get him to respond. She wished desperately that they had some water, but the planet was barren and dead. They would not be so lucky.

Gathering up the spit in her mouth, Bulma could feel hot tears threatening to burst forth. A frustrated grief swept through her as she cradled her bloody prince in her arms. Yamcha and Krillen watched sadly as the woman tried to hide her distress. Her bottom lip quivered and her blue eyes watered, but still the determined glare sat within the depths of her cool eyes. They watched as she leaned forward and pressed her lips to his, thinking that she was giving her prince one last kiss…when in actuality she transferred the pool of saliva that had been sitting within her mouth into his.

………..

With one final ground shattering punch, Gohan's fist plowed into the gore-covered ground. The demi-saiyajin found himself breathing deeply as his rage finally lowered, his arm shaking, as his fist remained implanted in the hard, black rock. Gohan sat upon the corpse of the shadow demon, his legs straddling the beast's torso as he had repeatedly plowed one fist after another into the grayed, scarred face. Through his anger he wasn't even aware of the sound of bone crunching and flesh ripping. With movements so quick they could not be seen, Gohan had crushed the monster's head into a puddle of liquefied slush. Wrapped around his small hand were entrails and brain matter, chunks of flesh and drops of blood running all up and down his arm.

With a tired sigh, Gohan stood from the motionless body and scowled. He hated it when his anger took over, even if he could control it, and the fact that he created such a mess did not sit well with the boy. Shaking his head, Gohan turned and gazed up at the monstrously tall, hideous building that towered over him. The wall he had flown out of was cracked and crumbling, pieces of debris and stone still falling from the damage. Gohan stared for a moment longer before his green eyes widened and his heart seemed to stop. He had left Vegeta there.

In a flash the super-saiyajin two blasted from the ground, his body becoming a yellow blur. The cold wind rushed past his face, but within a second or two the fifteen-year-old appeared in the hole that he had created and landed on the ground with his booted feet. He instantly froze at the sight before him.

Tired black eyes slid over to gaze at him. They were unfocused and heavy, but they were open. Taking a step forward, Gohan felt a wave of relief when Bulma looked up and smiled at the amazed fighter. In her lap was a very drowsy, very pained prince…but he was alive.

"Whoa, Gohan," Krillen chuckled, obviously relieved, too. "Looks like you had yourself a battle."

Practically ignoring his smaller friend, Gohan rushed forward so that he, too, sat with the group around Vegeta. His green eyes scanned the prince and his stomach dropped as he noticed that some of the wounds under Vegeta's torn blue uniform were still slightly open and bloody. The torn holes in his arms and legs had closed up significantly, but they still looked red and painful. Gazing over to Vegeta's ungloved hand, Gohan sighed when he saw that there was no more glass under the full-blooded saiyajin's nails. The tips were still stained with red blood, but his nails were back to normal and the wounds underneath were gone. There was only one more wound that he wasn't sure had been fixed.

"Was the senzu not strong enough?" The young warrior asked.

Yamcha turned to Krillen and they held a guilty smile.

"We couldn't exactly give him a full bean," Krillen explained. "I'm sure you know what happened to…"

"His tongue."

"Yeah. We had to crush the bean up. But the hole in the wall and ceiling kinda made a problem for us. The wind blew and…."

"You lost it?" Gohan gasped.

"Only a little," Bulma replied, her hands tightening on Vegeta's ungloved palms. "I don't think even a full senzu could have helped him all the way. He…he almost…"

"Died," Gohan said flatly. "He did."

All eyes turned to him and Gohan's piercing green irises took on an angry gleam. "I happened upon that demon…torturing him. When I got there…he had just decided to take Vegeta into his mind, or soul, or whatever he planned to do." Gohan began to shake as he recalled the horror he had felt when viewing the horrid scene. His stomach dropped as it did before when Vegeta's power completely left him. "His power kept dropping. It…it disappeared entirely and then that monster sort of shocked him or something…and he…came back."

A calming hand rested on Gohan's back as Krillen gave his young comrade a warming smile. "But he's here now," the black-haired fighter said, gesturing with a hand at the none-too-happy prince. "But what happened with you? Where is that demon you were fighting?"

Gohan stood quickly and glanced behind him at the open wall. A cold glare passed his features and his fists tightened. "I don't think you need to worry about that anymore. We need to blow this place up. Now that we've found Vegeta, we need to blast that Light Angel power into the core of this planet and that'll be all."

There was a hiss of pain from behind the super-saiyajin and he turned to see Vegeta trying to sit up, his face grimacing in agony. Bulma leaned forward and helped him until he sat fully straight, his legs bent uncomfortably from the pain that ripped through them.

"It…it doesn't matter if you beat that monster's fucking head in. He always comes back," Vegeta growled, his words coming out with a slight lisp. Gohan watched as a small speck of blood landed on his lip and the prince merely brushed it away with the back of his hand. So…just as Gohan had wondered, his tongue hadn't been fully healed either.

"We know," Yamcha replied darkly. "We…um…discovered some things about these demons while we were with Yemma. I assure you…you will be pissed off when you hear this."

Vegeta's dark eyes grew even darker and he looked at the floor. "Trust me. With all the shit that has been happening to me in the past couple of days, I don't think anything could surprise me."

Yamcha, Krillen, Bulma, and Gohan all looked at each other, a somewhat exasperated and pitied look on their faces. They knew that the next few minutes of explanation were not going to fun, but Bulma took a breath and began to explain to her loved one why the demons were after him and what the Otherworld had planned.

……………..

King Kai stood next to the giant, red ogre's desk as the large being stamped papers in frustration. Finally after about the twentieth cloud spirit floated in front of him, King Yemma let out a loud yell of annoyance and slammed his stamp down on his desk, sending the cloud spirit skittering away in terror. The rounded blue Kai looked up at the stricken King through amused black sunglasses.

"Things could be worse, Yemma," King Kai's blubbery voice commented matter-of-factly.

The red king peered down at the master of higher power and sighed. "How?" He moaned. "Those earthlings have quite the way to make me feel guilty. I've never had a problem doling out sentences before. Now that the arrogant, evil prince of the saiyajins has come into the picture, my world is flipped up-side-down and suddenly I have a conscience!"

Tossing a stack of papers in the nearest basket, Yemma sighed again and rested his large head on his hands.

"You feel bad because you actually had to meet the people that care for him," King Kai replied simply. "It's much easier to merely condemn someone to hell or send the Shadow Demons after him if you actually know nothing about him. Actually seeing the affect it has on the condemned's loved ones is sure to make you finally feel for once."

King Yemma slammed his large hands on his desk and turned angrily to the knowing little Kai that that stood at his side.

"For once?!" Yemma shouted. "I am the king of the dead. I have to take into careful consideration why people should or should not go to heaven! People like Vegeta are the ones that do not FEEL! Lecture him, not me." Turning back to the scattered sheets of paper on his desk, the bearded giant grumbled under his breath and tried to get organized. "Everyone says that the saiyajin prince has changed. If he has changed so much, please explain to me why he just murdered Frieza in cold blood. He just brutally killed someone who is already dead! Making it so he cannot even be wished back or found ever again!"

King Kai's antennae twitched as he heard this new news and he sighed. Looking forward the blue-skinned lord pondered over recent events. King Yemma had called him to his desk a few minutes earlier, the red king's face flushed more than usual and an obvious guilt resting on his features. It was rare when the great King was proved wrong or set on edge, and he always called King Kai when he needed someone to talk to. Of course, the giant could never just come right out and say he was wrong. He had to blame someone first or try and make it seem like he had done the correct action. Even when Yemma needed someone to kick him in the ass and tell him he made a huge mistake, he'd still fight and say that he did it for a good reason. His ego was just as big as he was.

"Yemma, just admit that you screwed up and now the universe could quite possibly be threatened and all people everywhere could quite possibly be attacked and devoured by soul-sucking demons."

The red ogre grunted and gave the small being a sideways glance. "If…Goku and the others should fail…how bad to think it could be?"

King Kai couldn't help the sly smile that crept across his wide face. "Demons that can't be destroyed unless their planet is blown up? Wait, scratch that, a demon planet that has control over zombie-like corpses of a deranged species that has the power to completely consume someone's soul and keep it in him for eternity? Well….I'd say that that could be a problem."

King Yemma narrowed his eyes at his friend's sarcasm and sighed.

"Are you mainly worried about this whole Vegeta thing…or the fact that the Shadow Demons could get loose and completely turn the dead and living world as we know it into total Hell?"

Yemma twiddled his thumbs together as his stomach sank nervously. "A bit of both. I will be the most responsible for giving the Shadow Demons power. If Goku and the others shall fail, it will be a horrible burden that I will have to carry on my shoulders." Spinning in his chair, the great red king eyed his smaller ally. A look of pained guilt passed his features and his shoulders hunched. "You should have seen the faces of Vegeta's friends and…his loved ones. If Goku stood up so vehemently for Vegeta…then I fear that I really have been making mistakes in my job. The people on the list for the Shadow Demons to take are horrible, evil people. All I receive are the documents of bad things they have done. But Vegeta is proof that there are obviously good things within an evil being, too. If a kind-hearted girl like Bulma and the peacekeeping, good-natured humans of Earth are fighting so hard to keep a person like him safe…then I am clearly missing something. I am beginning to see that employing the Shadow Demons may not have been the best idea."

King Kai let out an agreeing grunt and placed his arms behind his round back, his small hands clasping together as he did. "You know that I have never been a fan of the Shadow Demons. It was so many years ago when the original king of the Otherworld sent them to work and even then I did not agree. But just because I didn't agree didn't mean that I was correct. I stood around and let it happen. I turned a blind eye and allowed the Shadow Demons to go after the "evil" in the world…even if they hadn't done anything…yet." King Kai's black glasses gleamed as he stared up at the guilt-ridden face of his friend. "Everyone who stands aside and lets evil happen must be blamed. I and the other Kais of the universe allowed the king before you to continue these actions and we did nothing to encourage you to stop it." The rounded blue kai stepped away and gazed out a nearby window that showed a lovely view of Snake Way. "If…when Goku and the others succeed, we need to change our ways. I implore you, Yemma, please take a closer look at the ways of the "evil" beings that pass through here. They have a story to tell, too, and deserve to be heard. I know you are the judge. Don't judge too harshly."

Keeping his back turned, King Kai could see his giant red friend nod slowly in the reflection of his glasses. Turning quietly back to his work, the great red king tried to concentrate on his work at hand, finding it difficult to concentrate on anything. His mind kept flashing back to the tear-ridden beauty that hugged her prince and kissed him goodbye, for what she thought, would be the last time seeing him. He remembered Goku's angry and betrayed face as he received the news on the workings of the Otherworld. The peaceful beings of earth could see the goodness inside Vegeta. Perhaps it was time for King Yemma, too, to look closely at each being that passed through his station. He would not be seen as an evil monster, as well.

"I will work on that, King Kai."

'There you go! Yet another chapter. Let me know what you think and I shall try to get the next chapter out as soon as possible. Thanks!'


	17. Capture

_'Hello, all! Well…thank you for being such great readers and avid reviewers. I know it takes a while sometimes to update this story, but thank you all for keeping interest in it. I love the reviews and comments I receive through e-mail and on my livejournal. It's what keeps it going!'_

Warning: Some graphic nasty stuff. Beware!

Disclaimer: No! I don't own DBZ. It's all Akira's idea.

Chapter 17

"Those fucking assholes!" Vegeta's hoarse voice echoed through the dilapidated room.

He shot up into a perfectly straight sitting position upon hearing the story behind the Shadow Demons. With guilt and even a bit a fear, the earthlings retold the version of events they received from King Yemma. Throughout the whole thing, the pained prince sat with a shocked, enraged expression, his fists balled tight and back straight as Bulma held him up.

"They couldn't even handle me themselves so they sent these damned monsters after me," he snarled viciously. "Now they're out of control. Hell they even dared to kill the ones I ca-"

Vegeta cut himself off before acknowledging the fear he felt for the ones he cared for. A red blush streaked across his face and he continued to shake from the sheer stupidity and incompetence the Otherworld showed. Yamcha and Krillin sent each other sly glances and then returned their attention back to the wounded saiyajin.

"We need to put that behind us for now," Krillin said seriously. "Piccolo has the Light Angel power. All we need to do is fire that into the core of this planet and that's that. Planet gone, demons gone."

"He's not the only one that has that power," Vegeta growled. Sitting up more, the small saiyajin lifted his ungloved hand and concentrated until a small shimmering white light appeared in his palm. He sweated as he pulled upon his depleted power to give the heavenly light some shape. Soon, a lovely glowing orb sat within his grasp and the same dazed feeling of serenity passed through those who stared at it. With a swipe of his hand, the ball diminished and returned back inside of him, snapping everyone from his and her trance. "I was given this power, too, though, probably not as much as the namek."

"Good," Gohan chimed in. "Lets go gather everyone else. Hopefully they were able to delay the demons while we found Vegeta."

Yamcha and Krillin stood and glanced down at Vegeta who was still held in Bulma's arms. The prince turned red again as they noticed his weakness and he pushed away from his woman. Lifting himself up painfully on rickety legs, Vegeta gasped as his bones and slightly torn muscles screamed in agony. He allowed the other three fighters to help him up.

Standing fully on his pained, throbbing legs, Vegeta's face strained as he ignored the blood that slowly leaked from the still closing wounds that had been ground through his shins. If there were going to be a battle, he would be useless. Having two arms and two legs that still had opened holes in them was not going to be beneficial to him. Vegeta kept these thoughts hidden, though he knew that everyone else understood this, too.

"How do we gather everyone together, though?" Yamcha pointed out. "Should we just raise our powers and hope they see it as a signal?"

Gohan shook his head, his blonde hair wavering as he did. "I think it'd be better to just find them and travel in a group. We're the biggest number right now and it might be difficult for the others who are traveling in twos or even by themselves to break away from whatever battle they're fighting."

"Or running away from," Krillin added.

The young demi-saiyajin glanced at Vegeta who stood visibly exhausted and pale. Peering down at his legs and arms, the boy could see the wounds trying to close, yet still fresh and painful. He had lost a lot of blood and a senzu could really do nothing to regain the liquids that were vanquished. The prince could lose no more energy.

"Yamcha. Go ahead and pick up Bulma." Gohan's green eyes slid to his once bald friend. "Krillin, you and I need to help carry Vegeta. Loop one arm over him and I'll hold onto his other side."

Vegeta growled dangerously, his annoyance flashing across his face. "I do not need to be carried. I can fly well enough on my own."

An exasperated sigh escaped Gohan and his shoulders sagged. Of course, this was Vegeta, after all. If he was expecting this to be easy, he was sadly mistaken.

"Please Vegeta. We need to find my father and everyone else so we can destroy this place and get out of here. You're still extremely injured and it'd be better if we just hurried. I don't think you could lose any more power, either. You can barely stand on your own two feet."

With a snap of his teeth, Vegeta crossed his arms and tried to keep his face neutral as pain lanced through the bent muscles and tendons in his elbow. Yamcha, Krillin, Bulma, and Gohan watched as he smirked slightly and slowly rose off the ground. Hovering above them haughtily, he shrugged and turned his back to them.

"Come on. Like you said, we don't have much time," he mocked.

Traveling forward slowly, Vegeta neared the hole that had been blasted in the ceiling. Gohan sighed and shook his head, then turned to Bulma who held a rather annoyed expression. The woman put her hands on her hips and turned angrily to Yamcha.

"Well, lets go, pal!"

Soon, the group of five weary, battle-worn people traveled together through the winding, haunting corridors, seeking out their friends and loved ones.

………….

Goku was sprinting down the musky corridor now, a look of childish panic on his face. Following close behind him was a wall of black. Charred hands reached out for him and glints of rotted yellow teeth shimmered, as it seemed the entire population of Shadow Demons had decided to attack Goku.

The super-saiyajin had been proving too strong for the demons to fight. Every hit they received they had to call in about ten more because of Goku's strength. Finally getting annoyed, the planet pretty much summoned as many demons it could to take down the super-saiyajin. As the hundreds of monsters filled the roomed corridors, Goku's face fell…and he decided to run.

Now here he was, his teeth clenched and sweat running down his face as he barreled through the darkened hallways, his energy thrown around him like a shield and the whirlwind of power striking the walls blowing out the surrounding candles. As Goku raced from the monsters, the hallways flickered and the light died, casting the proceeding wall of beasts behind him into complete blackness.

It was only a matter of time before Goku's power would soon tire out and these corpses behind him had infinite supplies of energy. Thinking quickly, Goku raised a hand and blasted a narrow hole in the stony ceiling. In a flash, the golden warrior flew faster and disappeared into the hole, then quickly dropped his power, diminishing the golden glow. Not knowing where he was, Goku's rapid eyes traveled along the silhouettes in the room. Seeing a desk of some sort, the saiyajin leapt for it and crouched within a very tight space.

He could hear the rasping, growling voices right below the hole he created, and suddenly the demonic creatures slipped through the entrance like ghostly figures of darkness. He held his breath and listened to his pounding heart as he hid underneath the cube shaped area. In the extremely dim lighting that filtered in through the floor, Goku watched as a few of the monsters looked back and forth, searching for the hiding fighter. A shorter demon with chin length rotted hair sniffed the air and slowly began to approach. Goku held back a growl, but tensed up as the almost balding, wheezing beast eyed the area in which he hid. A cracked hand reached out slowly and gripped a hanging, black curtain of some sort that draped halfway over his hiding spot. Goku's heart was pounding in his chest now and his saiyajin adrenaline was rushing through his veins. The demon's yellowish eyes moved wildly back and forth, his eyelid-less orbs bulging from its head.

One of the demons jerked behind the approaching one and Goku's eyes traveled to it as the monster looked at its friends and then nodded.

"Walcon lost the prince. He's being regenerated right now. But the prince has been located and is heading this way. We are to follow him and further investigate those with him. They seem interesting, as well."

The demon that stood so close to Goku nodded and straightened up. With a somewhat pained moan, the five creatures in the room slowly faded and evaporated from the room. With a sigh of relief, Goku pried himself from his hiding space and stood. Stretching, the saiyajin cracked his back and squinted into the blackened room.

It smelled terrible in there. The saiyajin had smelled blood before, but it was ten times worse where he stood…and it smelled old. Along with the musky, rotted stench of dried blood, Goku picked up stenches that he was not too fond of. His curiosity getting the better of him, Goku put up two fingers and lit the tips with a small red glow. His eyes instantly widened and he stumbled against the object he had been hiding under.

The room was small, but most of the space was taken up by the hanging bodies and horrible contraptions that held the suffering or already dead. There were awful machines and jagged inventions Goku would never have dreamed of holding or stabbing through various different bodies of different aliens that these monsters had found. Goku's widened eyes slowly gazed up at the ceiling where a body of a young girl hung from jagged hooks, the rusted edges and tips sliding through the pale skin on her back. Her black hair fell before her white eyes. Goku believed he was looking at shreds of clothing that straggled from her broken body…but lighting his energy brighter…he soon realized that it was her skin.

Gagging, Goku turned away, his knees colliding with something hard. Gasping, Goku stumbled backward. The "desk" he had been hiding under was something much horrid than he could have thought. In a desk-like shape, there were about six clear boxes stacked on top of one another. A mildewed, stained cloth draped over the top it and was softly dripping with mahogany blood. Within the see-through boxes were the dead. In each tight little box, a crushed, twisted body pressed inside it. Limbs were broken, organs had slipped out and were crushed in such a tight space, bloody hands pressed against the once clean surface, and broken, unidentifiable faces were forced harshly against the glassy sides.

Goku's stomach lurched and his body shook as he saw aliens of all kinds held by demonic jagged contraptions, some stabbed right through, others having been hung and beaten to death. There was a sudden click and Goku's attention was drawn to a chained wheel that sat beside the six connected boxes. Unbeknownst to Goku was the clear wires that wrapped themselves around the cubes. The wheel spun and the strings tightened. Very slowly, the boxes creaked in defiance and then collapsed to an even smaller size, crushing the bodies within them even more. Then…one box started to scream.

Running to the other side of the stacked bloody cubes, Goku let out an awful gag as he saw one of the tortured beings in a lower box try to shift against his shrinking prison. Dark red blood slowly pooled along the bottom and edges of the transparent cage, the crimson fluid having nowhere else to go but up into the face of the dying. The person within the box mouthed silently and shuddered as more blood spilled from between blue lips. The wheel stopped and clicked off, the deadly cubes now in an even smaller size. These beings had been beaten and then crushed alive. This one was still living, though. Or at least, still semi-conscious.

The faded blew eyes of the yellowed alien looked up at him and then blinked. Slowly tears fell and the imprisoned person tried to speak. A gurgling choke could be heard within the box and then a few red teeth fell out. The broken hand that was forced against the wall of the tiny box was missing two fingers, but still managed to scratch against the smooth, slick surface.

With an anguished cry, Goku threw himself at the horrid sight and frantically tried to pull the box open. But there was no opening! Somehow these beings had been forced into these prisons and sealed shut. The saiyajin's thick fingers gripped and pulled the tops and sides of the cubes, but they just slid off the smooth layers. Throwing a fist at the side of the thing, Goku growled angrily and stood, waving his pained hand back and forth. These things were incredibly hard, too. Peering at the other five boxes, Goku concentrated his mind. Yes…they were all dead. Powering up and raising his energy to his hand, Goku took aim and fired a blast at the top cube that was full of dead carcass. There was only as resounding smack, and his energy faded into nothing.

"What are these things made of?" Goku wondered through clenched teeth.

Then suddenly, to his absolute horror, there was another click and the wheel turned again. The person in the box let out a shrill shriek as the wires around his box tightened and moaned. Goku ran to the side of the tortured creature and frantically pulled at the wires. The clear, glassy edges cut his fingers and his hands slid off the thin strings, coating them with his blood. Backing up, the kind-hearted saiyajin could only watch in utmost terror as the cubes slowly shuddered and then collapsed to an even tinier element. The boxes were now the size of beach balls. The childish, innocent saiyajin had to cover his ears as the sound of bone and organs being crushed were heard. There was one final low moan of agony and as Goku opened his eyes, he saw the once living being fall dead as his skull was crushed in the corner of the bloody prison. He…couldn't save someone.

It was then that Goku threw up.

To think that Vegeta had to live through these tortures was an even worse thought. Everyday the prince had to be reminded of the horrors that these monsters brought. The warrior had only been six when first meeting these things. What an absolutely horrible nightmare to remember everyday. Goku knew that if any of this had ever happened to him…he would not have lived through it. It didn't matter if he was all-powerful. It didn't matter that he was brave, strong, and was willing to die for those he cared for. The innocent, naïve mind that Goku had could not comprehend this evil. In this room of horrid tortures and pure darkness, he felt alone and terrified. Vegeta had been through this madness and lived on. He had pushed forward and now he would have to go through this monstrous nightmare again.

"No," Goku said as he wiped his mouth. "Vegeta has proven his strength time and time again. He doesn't need to show his bravery and fight these monsters alone. Nobody should ever have to fight these monsters alone," he whispered as he stared at the face of the terrified being that had died in the solitary box.

Goku stood shakily and looked away from the horrid sight. But unfortunately everywhere he looked contained the tortured and dead. His own boots couldn't escape the different shades of death that lay on the floor. The kind-hearted warrior felt more depressed than he ever had before. He just could not understand the evils that swept through life. An entire planet made to torture and kill was just insane.

His dark eyes lifted and he looked around for an exit. There was a wooden door to his left and one right ahead of him. Of course, there was still the hole he had created in the floor, but he didn't want to chance running into any demons that might still be lurking below. Walking to the door before him, Goku gripped the brass knob and pulled the structure open. A wall of severed heads fell on him. He was screaming before he knew it.

"Do you hear that?" Tien asked, his eyes wide.

Piccolo looked at the three-eyed fighter and sighed. "Of course I can."

The giant-eared namek shook his head and blasted down the hallway toward the direction of the terrified screaming. That definitely wasn't the cry of a Shadow Demon.

The two fighters had successfully led the shadow demons on a confusing chase. There hadn't been that many of them and the clever earth warriors managed to trick them at every turn. They had been able to wander the hallways many of the times without fearing about being chased, then a demon or two would show up and they'd take off flying again. The whole time, though, they worried how their friends were doing. Once in a while energy would flare here or there. Gohan's energy had risen drastically at one point, and Vegeta's power seemed to have finally returned to normal…or at least to a healthier level.

The two had been traveling down a certain corridor when they heard the terrified screaming. Piccolo and Tien had been good enough to not look into any of the rooms they passed, knowing that they probably contained nothing but nightmares and tortures. It seemed that it was time to finally journey into one of the nightmarish chambers now as they neared a wooden door where the shouts echoed. Piccolo turned to Tien and together they prepared to enter the offending area.

Bursting into the black room, the sight at hand made them instantly nauseous. The dull lighting from the candles in the hallway shone into the room that they stood. They were immediately greeted with the bodies of hanging corpses and the smell of death. Tien staggered back, his hand to his nose and eyes watering. He could not enter the room. Piccolo however threw his cape behind him and strode into the room, his face scowling and sharp eyes scanning for his screaming friend.

Goku laid in the corner of the room frantically brushing his clothes off. His head swung back forth as if looking rodent that had just attacked him. All around him lay the heads of the dead, all shapes and sizes.

Piccolo made his way to his anguished friend and gripped him tightly. Never had he seen Goku look so terrified or disgusted. Of course, if a closet full of severed heads landed on him, he'd be none too pleased. Goku gripped the tall namek's arms as if he was about to die. Piccolo winced but helped Goku steady himself, then lead the shaking saiyajin to the open door. As they exited, there was a click that emanated from the room and Piccolo found the powerful saiyajin running from his clawed hands. Goku held his hands to his ears and knelt on the floor near the wall. Rocking back and forth he let out a pained groan and clenched his teeth.

"Close the door." He hissed. "Just close the door!"

Obeying the distraught warrior, Piccolo gripped the doorknob of the splintered structure but paused. His black eyes fell on the six stained boxes in the corner, his mouth falling open as they constricted and crushed the bloody mess that sat within them. Without a word, the namek swung the door closed and stared at Tien's worried face and then at the usually brave, confident fighter who sat upon the floor with his hands to ears.

This truly was a living nightmare.

………….

"Come on, at least just let me put an arm around you to keep you in the air," Gohan snapped at the panting prince. The boy had dropped out of super-saiyajin a while ago and his dark eyes peered at Vegeta with much annoyance.

The small group had been traveling rather slowly since Vegeta decided to fly on his own. They were moving as fast as someone would walk. The arrogant prince however believed that he had to prove his strength. It was bad enough that the idiot earthlings had found him in such a state. He would not let them think he was a weakling who couldn't even fly on his own, either. Unfortunately, he truly didn't have the energy to stay in the air much longer and his legs hurt too much to travel on foot.

"God dammit Vegeta!" Bulma yelled behind her. "Just let Gohan help you."

Hovering forward slightly, Vegeta opened his mouth to respond, but his eyelids suddenly fell and he plummeted to the filthy ground below. Bulma let out a panicked shriek, but Gohan was quick. The stealthy saiyajin easily glided down and caught the tired prince before he landed on his head. Though the floor was not too far from the ceiling, the fall would have done some damage to Vegeta's already weakened frame.

Gliding back up to the others, Gohan held Vegeta under one arm. The prince was remarkably light and over the years, the half-saiyajin found himself an inch or two taller than the older one. Joining the others, Gohan approached with a satisfied smile on his face.

"I think we can move faster now."

The three fighters brought their energy forward and blasted off down the winding corridors of the castle. The icy wind that blew through the jagged castle bit at them, but they pushed forward. Reaching out with their senses, they soon realized that Goku, Piccolo, and Tien were all together.

"Perfect," Gohan said as he held Vegeta tighter to his side. "This nightmare is almost over."

They drew closer to the energies of their friends and a slight relief washed over them. Once together they could destroy this filthy planet and be rid of all the shadow demons once and for all. Unfortunately, the planet itself decided that it wasn't time to go yet.

The wall nearest to Bulma and Yamcha caved in suddenly, the black rock being eaten inward and crumbling into the darkness. Bulma shrieked in Yamcha's ear as golden eyes opened and shimmered from the blackness. Giant red mouths cracked open within the blackness and in an instant, long spindly tentacle shot from the once rocky wall. The end of one powerful tip slammed into Yamcha's scarred cheek, the force sending him flying backwards. His arms flailed back wildly and he lost his grip on Bulma. The blue haired woman screamed louder as one of the cold, black vines wrapped around her waist and ankle drawing in toward the glowing eyes and snapping red mouths.

Her panicked cries echoed off the haunting corridors, the shriek pounding inside Vegeta's dazed head. Gohan growled angrily and surged forward as one of the grinning red mouths opened impossibly wide revealing rows of insanely jagged gray teeth. Saliva dripped onto the debris-covered floor as it drew the struggling woman closer and closer.

Bulma screamed and kicked at the deathly arms that gripped her, but another tentacle shot out and wrapped around her free ankle. Yamcha returned and pulled on her arms, but the force caused her to cry out more. There was no way to pull her from the monster's grip without hurting her, too.

Gohan sprinted toward the scene as his friends screamed and struggled, but was suddenly thrown off balance as Vegeta came to life in his arms and blasted away, sending the boy tumbling further downward. He watched as the energy erupted in the prince and the powerful warrior brought forth his strength. From his ungloved hands Vegeta launched a series of narrow beams at the tentacles that held Bulma, the thin sharp attacks slicing cleanly though the limbs.

Bulma screamed again as she fell from the monster's grip, her arms and legs flailing as the ground raised up to meet her. Just before she landed, strong arms supported her and she found herself pressed into the armored chest of her lover.

"My knight in shining white armor," she said without thinking.

A small smirk appeared on Vegeta's face as he turned away from the hideous shadowy beast. He held onto Bulma tightly, silently jumping with joy that she was ok. Again he thought about how much he'd blame himself if anything happened to her. This whole situation also made him wonder why she was even here in the first place. The earthlings were morons but they were should have been smart enough to leave Bulma at Yemma's. Though…knowing his headstrong woman, she probably found her own way to interfere.

Vegeta slowly headed back toward the others with Bulma in his arms. He found it hard to remain in the air, his power still depleted and his body in pain. Still, he held the confident smirk as he took his time is rising up away from the black creature that lived in the wall.

There was a sudden tug on his ankle, though, and Vegeta found it difficult to move forward. Yamcha, Krillin, and Gohan gasped and Vegeta quickly turned to see what was clamped around his ankle. Metal….jagged…strong.

A wave of vertigo shot through Vegeta and he was suddenly brought back many, many years ago. He was six. He needed to help his allies. Then that metal clamp. That metal clamp protruding from Walcon's fist had bit into his ankle, almost severing it completely.

Bulma held tightly onto Vegeta's upper torso as he started to shake violently. Chancing falling out of the prince's arms, the blue-haired beauty leaned her head far over to peer at whatever made her love freeze up completely. With a short squeak, Bulma's fingers dug into Vegeta's arms. That cruel demon from before stood right in front of the black mass that lived within the walls. The black tentacles waved around and danced from behind the grinning madman showing that even the wall monster knew better than to attack or bother the demon. Walcon held his fist up and from it was a long narrow pole. That pole held on the end of it, a rusted metal clamp with sharp, jagged teeth. Something about it seemed extremely familiar and as the genius thought about it…she slowly began to remember Vegeta's nightmarish story of his past.

Bulma whimpered and buried her face in Vegeta's armored chest. She knew the fear he must be experiencing. The fact that this clamp had started the horror of his past when he was younger was being used on him again must have paralyzed him.

Walcon tugged on the contraption and Bulma felt them being slowly pulled down from the air. That demon was toying with him! Fortunately, though, he had not yet tightened the thing yet. Walcon knew that the mere sight of the weapon would render Vegeta unable to react. Someone did react, though.

A young voice roared with unbridled power and in a flash Gohan was flying forward. His small fist clenched tightly and he sent the powerful appendage straight into the metal pole. Vegeta hissed as the clamp vibrated painfully, but it slowly loosened as the whole pole broke. There was a clang of silver metal as the weapon fell from Walcon's hand and Vegeta snapped out of trance. Shaking the jagged thing off his boot, the object from his nightmares fell to the ground, too.

"Hey, Krillin!" Vegeta snapped, looking over his shoulder. The short human blinked and pointed to himself in question. "Here."

The surly prince turned and tossed his blue-haired mate to the surprised human below. Bulma let out a shocked yelp as Vegeta dumped her from arms. Landing roughly in Krillin's smaller, weaker grasp, Bulma let out an angry huff and crossed her arms.

"What am I, a ball to play catch with?"

Krillin merely laughed nervously.

Vegeta hovered down to Gohan's side and glared at the rotted enemy below. Walcon stared right back at both of them, his charred lips stretching into a nasty grin. Vegeta's stomach lurched as the horrid face from his nightmares stared up at him and even Gohan couldn't ignore the shudder that ran through his ally.

"There you are," Walcon's smooth voice spoke. "Sorry for my absence. I had to get a new face because some clever little upstart decided to cave my head in."

Vegeta's dark eyes slid over to the battle-ready earthling. "Did you really do that?" He asked, a small smirk gracing his features.

Gohan's eyes lowered slightly and a small blush crossed his face. Vegeta let out an amused scoff and turned his attention back to Walcon. It seemed true that the demon had his skin recently renewed. The fresh strips of grayed flesh wrapped tightly around his face while older strands hung like rotted streamers. That must have been the power of the planet. All the demons that were destroyed were merely replaced and given a "life" by this rocky mudball that ruled them.

"But I am tired of playing around," Walcon sniffed. "I want to keep you once and for all. I know you won't come without a fight, though."

"I won't be going with you at all!" Vegeta growled, his fists clenching dangerously.

"I have my ways of persuasion."

Vegeta and Gohan watched in surprise as the writhing monster in the wall shot its many tentacles out past the sides of Walcon. The demon stood there, a cruel grin on his face and arms at his sides as the limbs of the creature barely missed him. Walcon's many strands of gray/green dread locks blew with the immense power that surged from the spindly tentacles that headed straight for Krillin and Bulma.

'_He's trying to attack Bulma. He'll use her to make me come with him,'_ Vegeta thought.

The prince brought up his energy and he took off, his lithe body racing alongside the tentacles. He still didn't have enough power to turn super-saiyajin or to even stay in the air for long, but he did have enough stamina to grab hold of the streaming black limbs and be carried along with them. When close enough, Vegeta pulled himself forward as hard as he could with injured arms and launched himself forward, tackling both the stunned Krillin and Bulma from the monster's grasp. The three fell towards the rough ground. Unbeknownst to Vegeta and the others, the tentacles had changed direction rapidly and shot directly toward young Gohan.

There was a cough of pain and Vegeta felt the boy's power begin to dwindle. Supporting his fall, as well as Bulma and Krillin's, Vegeta stood from the cold floor and looked up to see one of the sharp vine-like appendages sticking straight through Gohan's right shoulder. The sharp tip wriggled around sickeningly before ripping itself from the boy's body. The pain was intense and numbing, and before Gohan knew it, four more tentacles reached out and wrapped themselves around his tense body.

"Shit," Vegeta growled.

In a flash, the wounded prince launched from the ground, his body moving sluggishly. But Gohan's stricken face made an insane rage burst forth. He refused to let anyone else get hurt because of his weakness!

With an infuriated yell Vegeta brought his fist back and sent a shattering punch into one of the tentacles. The limb bent back like a rubber band and then snapped back with an insane speed, the dark vine slamming directly into Vegeta's face. The prince's head snapped back harshly, his teeth clenching down on his already wounded tongue. The saiyajin cupped his hands around his bleeding mouth as the crimson fluid spilled from between his lips and he blinked, trying to clear his head. In a flash Krillin and Yamcha were launching themselves at the black tentacles that tightly held the young hero of earth. Their punches and kicks were merely bounced back at them, the tough, yet rubbery-like limbs fully protected.

Vegeta growled angrily and spat out a glob of red blood. He ignored the throbbing in his head and the exhaustion that ate at him like a disease and rushed toward the vines that trapped the wounded demi-saiyajin. The three fighters gripped the monster's limbs and pulled, their teeth clenched and sweat running as they tried to pry the beast off of Gohan. Another tentacle snaked out from the wall and flung forward, the rough edge smacking all three beings in their faces. Tumbling backwards in the air, they were distracted as Bulma's shriek pierced the air once again. Up-side-down and very unhappy, Vegeta's eyes snapped open. Peering at the ground, he watched in shock as the monster in the wall once more attacked Bulma, this time the tentacles moving quicker. He gasped as the blue-haired beauty was harshly dragged across the ground and suddenly flung forward into the blackness of the wall. Her screaming slowly faded, as the dark shadows within the wall seemed to swallow her up making her no longer visible.

Vegeta righted himself and remained frozen in his spot. A slow numbness crept through his entire body and his wide eyes could only stare at the black spot in the wall that Bulma had landed in. The giant red mouths that sat upon the wall monster grinned, showing off dripping gray teeth. He couldn't believe that she had been taken so quickly. He couldn't even do anything to stop it!

"Bulma!" Yamcha cried, his energy bursting forward as he flew forward.

The panicked human was about to fly straight into the blackened mass, but Walcon's long arm shot out, connecting directly with Yamcha's skull and sending him barreling into the nearest stony wall. The scarred earthling tried to rise up, but fell back to the floor with an audible sigh of defeat.

Krillin remained at Gohan's side, his small hands frozen to the bloody tentacle that had sheared the young boy through the shoulder. Even through his pain, Gohan struggled to free himself. An entire shock had settled within all the people in the narrow hallway. No one could sense Bulma's life source and no one knew if she was even alive. Walcon turned ever so slightly and muttered to the monster that still held the half-saiyajin up in the air.

The tentacles responded and Gohan was suddenly brought down, his hair blowing back as he, too, was about to be swallowed up by the darkness. This time Vegeta reacted. A blinding golden light erupted in the hall as the enraged prince roared angrily. Bringing his arms back, Vegeta gathered an immense amount of energy and threw the yellow light from behind his head. The burning power rushed forward, the flaming energy surprising Walcon and the wall monster. The shadow demon threw himself to the side of the wall to escape being burned into nothing. A pained, high-pitched screech could be heard as the wall took the blast head on. The golden light burned several of the yellow eyes and the red mouths were open and screaming. The black vines that erupted from it shivered and jerked, but they still held onto the teenager stuck in its grasp.

Angry now, the wall let out an infuriated growl and suddenly sucked its tentacles back into the hole in which it lived. Gohan let out a terrified holler as a wide red mouth opened hungrily.

"GOHAN!"

Krillin and Vegeta snapped their heads in the direction of the booming voice. Goku, Piccolo, and Tien stood a distance down the hall, their eyes wide with surprise as Gohan was quickly being pulled into a gaping hole in the wall.

Goku's heart pounded in his chest and he froze at first. He had just experienced a living nightmare and could not shake the utmost terror he had felt. Now he happened upon a scene in which his own son was about to be devoured by the monsters in this castle. A panic gripped his heart and he was running before he knew it. The scared father leapt for his son, noting the gaping hole in the young fighter's right shoulder. Gohan's frightened eyes traveled to his father's terrified face, an expression he had never seen on the brave man before. Reaching out for the deceased father, time seemed to slow down as their fingers brushed together. Gohan's wide, unblinking eyes widened even more as Goku's face fell, their hands slipping past each other. Gohan's short cry was immediately silenced as he was chucked into the blackness of the wall. His smaller frame faded into the hole within the wall, his hands that had reached out slowly disappearing as if he was digested by the monster.

Goku fell to the ground right in front of the gaping, destroyed wall, not caring that a large red mouth opened and grinned into his horrified face. He sensed someone next to him, but could not rise to his feet. His son. His son was gone.

"My oh my," a cool voice spoke next to Goku. "Just when everyone was almost together again plans had to go awry."

The black-haired saiyajin raised his head from the floor and slowly peered at the creature that spoke. Walcon grinned a yellowed toothy smile and crossed his arms.

"I decided that perhaps Vegeta would need some company while within my grasp. Your son's mind is just too interesting to pass up so I decided to take him, too."

'_Ah…finally…another chapter done. It's a bit longer than I thought it'd be, but I hope you like. Please let me know what you think…and I really do hope to get another chapter up as soon as possible. Thanks!'_


	18. Decisions

_'Yet another chapter! Well, I must thank you all again for such nice reviews. I love all the lively, awesome comments I've received and all the great ideas you've put forth. Lupin Goddess…you rock. And Debje, no, I've never seen Silent Hill…but you've peeked my interest! So, thank you all again for your awesomeness and I hope you will enjoy this chapter.'_

Disclaimer: This is a non-profit fanfiction written by an obsessed fan of Dragonball Z, which was created by the genius Akira Toriyama.

Chapter 18

Vegeta's power finally left him completely and the small saiyajin fell to the cold hard floor harshly, his bony knees banging against the strange stone. His golden glow faded entirely and his head bowed low as his breath came in ragged pants. There was a light tap, tap on the floor as a steady stream of thick blood hung from his parted lips. Bulma was gone. So was Gohan.

Walcon's skeletal hand reached back and patted the blackened beast that hid within the wall. The many gaping red mouths upon the monster grinned widely, the gray teeth gleaming with saliva. The wall seemed to rumble as the tentacle beast purred deeply from the almost caring touch of the evil shadow demon. It was satisfied now that it had devoured two living beings.

Goku's shoulders shook as he knelt before the shadow demon and his pet. Everything had happened too fast. The innocent fighter had witnessed a horrid nightmare within the rooms of this awful castle and then arrived just in time to see his young son thrown into the blackness of the creature in the wall. He could not save him and it destroyed the powerful warrior inside.

Walcon clicked his dry, purple tongue within his foul mouth and cracked a cruel grin. "I thought you saiyajins were supposed to be the most powerful fighters in the universe!" His crackling voice mused. "Yet, here you just lost two of your loved ones within a matter of moments."

Vegeta's darkened eyes rose and his teeth clenched painfully. His body was spent and his limbs screamed in agony. His tongue pounded as blood continued to flow from the re-opened wound. It would be an incredibly stupid idea to attack the monster now that he was as weak as a child. The fact that he was helpless to get his revenge made Vegeta's heart pound with rage.

Walcon's dead gray eyes slowly slid over to stare at Vegeta's pale face. The look of amusement never left the demon's expression.

"Luckily for you all, the boy and the woman are not dead."

All heads snapped up at these words and the earth fighters' eyes widened with surprise.

"But I can't feel them," Krillin whispered as he hovered near the ceiling.

The dread-locked monster chuckled, his eyes never wavering from Vegeta's shocked face.

"No, you wouldn't. This is a planet that is different than any other you've been on. People cannot be located or sensed when they are within the core of this planet."

Vegeta's eyebrow twitched at this and he felt his heart hammering so loud in his chest he could barely hear. They were in the core of this planet? Wasn't that the area where this possessed piece of rock kept its captured souls?

"Tell me how to get there," Goku spoke. His voice was low and dangerous, sounding nothing like his usual childish tone. "Tell me how!"

The dark hallway echoed with his angry yell and the beast behind Walcon growled lowly. Goku's black eyes were burning with a furious fire. His mouth tightened and he slowly rose from the filthy floor. Goku knew about this planet and its torturous ways of trapping people. The nightmare he experienced in the room earlier had terrified him and the fact that his young son was being held somewhere and possibly receiving the same horrid treatments was too awful. He would get Gohan back.

Walcon stood taller than Goku, his lanky, bony arms crossed against his skeletal chest. The third-class saiyajin remained determined, his face a mask of pure anger. The demon's charred face with its loose, hanging skin went unnoticed as Goku felt his saiyajin adrenaline pumping through his veins.

The demon stepped aside and gestured with his arm to the many eyed, many-mouthed beast in the destroyed wall. Walcon's gray eyes blinked with amusement, though the motion was needless as his eyes were constantly dry after years of being dead.

"Simply jump on in," he snickered. "My pet will transport you directly to the core of the planet. If you choose to go through with this, I suggest you hurry. Who knows what the other shadow demons are doing down there. And I can't be patient forever. I may take the boy within me soon if you decide to take your time." Walcon turned and smiled darkly at the exhausted prince on the floor. "And if I have you inside me, I may not decide to take the young boy after all."

The looming monster grinned cruelly and slowly turned away from the stricken beings in the room. His body flickered quickly before fading completely. Now it was just the earth fighters and the bloated black blob in the wall, its spindly arms waving back and forth mockingly.

The hallway seemed to slowly close in on all the warriors as time continued to tick away. They had decisions to make and there was no more time…but none of them could think. Their options were slim and each outcome seemed hopeless.

Vegeta had a good feeling about what was on all their minds. If it were a choice between him and Bulma and Gohan…they would not hesitate to throw him to the demons. Then again, he would not let anything happen to Bulma. He could not let Gohan suffer the same fate he was doomed with. This was supposed to be his problem and his situation alone and now innocent beings that were never even supposed to be involved were going to be killed or tortured.

Vegeta felt his stomach lurch suddenly as Goku spun on heel and made his way toward him. The expression upon the third-class's face was one he rarely saw. His saiyajin side was coming out and it looked as if he would have to feel Goku's wrath.

Standing before the crouched prince, Goku's fists tightened. He felt unhinged…outraged. Why did Vegeta have to bring them this trouble? Why did his son have to suffer? Why couldn't he feel anger toward the prince like he wanted to?

Dropping to his knees, Goku surprised the smaller saiyajin. Weary, desperate eyes rose up to meet Vegeta's and the two merely stared at each other for several minutes, the silence dragging on in the hallway. Together they communicated their thoughts through expression alone and neither felt any relief from what they saw. It seemed that over the years of separation their saiyajin bond had grown stronger. Goku's lack of appearance and Vegeta's ever-growing affection for earth had brought them closer together. It was unfortunate that after meeting again for so long, events had to be so horrible.

"I'm sorry, Vegeta," Goku whispered.

The armored prince merely sighed and shook his head. His anger was building at the unfairness of it all, but he was getting the idea that they had no other options.

"Will we all be traveling together…or would you rather I go alone?"

The third-class felt a wave of guilt hit him and he closed his eyes. Vegeta was willing to jump into the mouth of the beast. Goku could not be angry with him. Vegeta had not asked for this mission or these torments. Alas, it was the prince's bad luck that had put Bulma and Gohan in this situation…but he could not be blamed. Now he was going to the shadow demons, finally allowing them to win so the ones he cared for could return safely. Vegeta had changed since the battle against Cell. A few years ago, the arrogant prince would never have gone this far for another person. He had finally changed for the better…and now he was going to die for it.

"We're all going," Goku replied sharply. He wasn't going to let the prince travel alone in this dark, horrid castle to the pits of hell. "It…it's the least we can do."

Vegeta's bowed head nodded and he remained crouched on the floor for a moment before sighing and standing again. He gasped as pain shot through his cracked and aching calves and he felt his knees shake momentarily. Goku approached him nervously before gaining an expression of utmost shock.

"Vegeta…your legs…your arms! What happened?"

The prince wiped some crusted blood from his lips and turned away. The last thing he needed was Kakarotto's sympathy.

"Lets just say I had a run in with Walcon. Your son managed to get me away in time. It's time to return the favor."

Goku blinked and opened his mouth to say more but Vegeta's gloved hand lifted. His pale face remained stoic and cold, but Goku could see the fear in the prince's eyes.

"Yes, I was tortured, Kakarotto. And yes, I almost died. But I am a saiyajin and I am prepared to take the punishment and pain I am given. Wake up your own instincts and realize that pitying me is useless and weak. It is better to die in battle with a brave heart than to lie here and allow myself to be beaten." The calm prince held a far-off gaze, his dark eyes appearing clouded. He thought back to the three grim reapers that he had met. He remembered Zacher's sad story and felt his heart swell. "There are times where a person must fight against things they know are wrong. I may not have been the most stand-up great citizen that you are, Kakarotto…but my mission now is to destroy the Shadow Demons and this planet so it can longer hurt innocents. I'm not doing this to be a hero or earn my place in heaven. I am doing this because I need to, because I want to, and because it is my duty to stop them."

The wild-haired saiyajin could only stare at the last living person of his species. Speechless, Goku nodded slowly, his mouth hanging open slightly and his eyes wide. He had not been expecting such a speech from the usually selfish and arrogant prince and it amazed him to hear it.

"Let us go then," was all he could say.

The two saiyajins straightened and turned to other fighters. They, too, had heard Vegeta's speech and were amazed by his sudden change of attitude lately. So used to his selfish, self-centered ways they couldn't even believe this was the same person. They watched as the two powerful beings trudged forward, their tired feet echoing off the hard floor.

Krillin descended to the ground and jogged over the two saiyajins. His face was worried and sweat ran from under his short black hair as he approached and noticed their tense pale faces.

"We're not actually going down there, are we?" His stressed voice demanded.

Goku turned and sighed, his eyes downcast and staring into the face of his best friend. He understood that Krillin was protesting the choice in letting Vegeta throw himself into the hellish nightmare. The short human wanted nothing more than to snatch Gohan and Bulma away from these monsters and be rid of the whole situation. But, unfortunately, the evil planet would not let them go until it had the prince.

Goku forced a small nod and turned away, suddenly finding it hard to look his friend in the face. The fact that he was even willing to let one of his friends go and get himself killed sickened the kind-hearted saiyajin. Goku was one who never gave up and never allowed someone to voluntarily get killed. But the nightmare that Gohan could face was far too much for the strong-hearted, loving father to handle. It was a sickening choice that he could not make…and he was forever glad that Vegeta was willing to control the situation for him.

The prince neared the gaping black hole in the wall, his body and mind feeling numb as he stared into the face of the many-mouthed beast. Almost teasingly, the monster waved its spindly black vines back and forth at the saiyajin that stared at it.

Yamcha had been watching the scene for a while, his heart hammering in his chest as the horrible situation unfolded. He couldn't believe that Bulma and Gohan had been taken within the monster. He couldn't believe that Vegeta was about to go into the core of the planet to save them by giving up his life. He also couldn't believe that this was actually happening. With the lucky earthlings, things usually came around. Sure they lost Goku to Cell that one time, but the planet had been saved. There was always a situation that could be won over by the courageous and intelligent fighters of earth. There had to be some way to help protect everyone.

But as the scarred-face human saw the defeated faces on all his friends, his heart sank, as he knew this was the only option. So far, all they knew was that Walcon wanted Gohan, too, and with Vegeta's sacrifice, the boy might be able to escape. Bulma was down there, as well, perhaps already receiving a horrible torture. It was now or never.

'_We can always wish Vegeta back with the dragon balls after we destroy this entire planet,' _Yamcha thought. But even that idea sent a wave guilt crashing down on his shoulders. No one should have to go through that nightmare.

Standing up shakily, the tired human stared at the forlorn faces of his allies. Seeing such a defeated and frightened expression on Goku's face was unnerving. The once determined and confident fighter could not be the leader for this mission. This awful planet full of horror was too much for the innocent warrior to handle.

Together the fighters grouped at the front of the living hole in the wall. Their dark eyes glared into the lightly growling area of darkness and they slowly raised their energy enough to create a small barrier around their bodies.

"So…do we just jump in?" Tien asked.

Vegeta nodded. "The blackness will just swallow us up…and then I guess it transports us to the core of this planet."

The three-eyed warrior stared at the back of the weary fighter for a moment, his mind piecing together the sudden change in the saiyajin's character. Tien had expected the arrogant, boisterous prince to handle this situation with his usual smirk and shrug, not even caring that the monsters of this planet had taken Bulma. But he seemed to be falling apart. The raven-haired saiyajin looked like a walking corpse and the confident fire that usually burned his eyes was gone.

"Avoid the mouth," Krillin muttered, his dark eyes staring at one of the gaping red holes on the beast.

The six fighters looked from one to the other nervously as the anxious beast within the jagged black rock became impatient. Vegeta took a deep breath and stepped forward slightly, before completely launching himself into the icy depths of the horrid thing. He heard a few startled cries before he sensed the other warriors of earth dive in, too.

A suffocating, crushing mass, the "insides" of the black monster pressing against them surrounded them all. Vegeta and the others felt their world spinning out of control as they tumbled down the darkness, the tight cool sides of the strange beast forcing them along. It felt like minutes moved slower as they continued to be pushed down further, their breaths coming in short pants at the lack of oxygen. The sound of smacking flesh could be heard within the claustrophobic area and Vegeta felt his stomach lurch as a sickening smell hit his nostrils. With a disgusted moan, the saiyajin tried to find a way out of the black mess, but his body was being squeezed within the innards of the monster, his already injured arms and legs bending in agony.

The world around them continued to spin out of control and Vegeta felt his lungs screaming for air. He thought he just might need to use his energy to blast a hole through the sticky sides, but there was a strange squelching noise…and in a matter of moments, he was launched from the suffocating darkness. Finding himself flying through the air, Vegeta let out a startled yelp as he flew behind a tall spiky rock, his body twisting in pain as he landed in a heap. Another startled grunt was heard behind him and Vegeta bit his lip as Piccolo landed directly on top of him. The namek pulled his turban away from his eyes and blushed slightly as he found himself lying on top of the small saiyajin's back. This was definitely not one of his best landings.

Scooting away from the distraught prince, Piccolo crouched behind the series of ceiling scraping boulders and squinted in the red light of the cave-like area. His large bat-like ears twitched as he heard the voices of his other allies far off in the distance. It seemed that the wall monster didn't exactly have the best aim and decided to shoot them wherever he wanted. Piccolo frowned as he watched the disgusting twitching tail end of the black monster, its tubular rear swiveling back and forth as the rest of the body disappeared into the ceiling above. Piccolo had not been aware of how huge the beast had been, the entire body about as wide as a yacht. The writhing black tail of the thing hung low to the ground, its entire frame covered with tentacles of all different sizes.

The tall namek eyed the hanging body of the worm and hid a nauseated shudder. They had all just been inside that thing and were simply shat out again. Wondering how the others were doing, Piccolo peeked around the tall rocks and scanned the row of boulders that lined what seemed to be an arena. His black eyes scanned the spiky stones and his senses searched for the others' power. They were near…quite possibly across the large, hellish room. He heard soft whispers with his sensitive ears and felt a small wave of relief when seeing a wild crop of hair bobbing behind one of the pale red rocks. It was clear that Goku was ok. But getting to them would be tricky. The wall monster's large body blocked the narrow path that traveled along the fortress of tall rocks. For now…it was just Piccolo and Vegeta.

Returning to the prince that sat upon the dusty ground, Piccolo eyed the wounds that had broken open on Vegeta's arms and legs. The armored saiyajin ran his fingers carelessly up and down his splintered calves, his expression concentrated and downtrodden as his mind raced. He hardly noticed the namek's intense stare.

Piccolo sighed as he watched the prince sit on the dirt-covered ground, knowing that Vegeta was contemplating the last few minutes of his life. Bringing a clawed hand to his forehead Piccolo turned away and gazed around the core of the planet that they hid within. He had already noticed the wall of tall pointed rocks that lined the "room." He could tell that they were a pale tan color, but the lighting within the cavernous area cast a haunting red glow on everything. The wall of the large area was pressed closely behind the rocks leaving only a narrow path between the sharp boulders. Stepping forward Piccolo peered between two tight rocks. His dark eyes widened as he gazed downward.

The whole "room" was slanted downwards, the shallowly dipped hills covered with jagged boulders. They sat like barbed wire surrounding a smooth center. In the middle of the large cave some kind of metal barrels held flaming red fires. The dancing flames roared within the rusted narrow tubs, which lined the edges of the circle. In the very center of the sandy red circle were two inclined tables; both splintered stained structures that held horridly bloody and rusted clamps and shackles. Bulma and Gohan were secured to both tables. Walcon stood to their side, his fingers sliding up and down the nightmarish tools that sat upon a small metal tray, almost like something a dentist would own.

His sharp eyes focused in on his young pupil and the terrified woman. Although appearing extremely fearful, they seemed unharmed. He wondered briefly why Gohan had not broken free from his bonds, but dismissed the thought. Obviously these demons had used something on him to leave him powerless. And looking even closer, Piccolo could see the angry red wound in his shoulder he had received earlier. The aching injury had taken a lot out of the teen. Bulma pressed her head against the back of the wooden slab she was attached to. Her fists were clenched and her eyes were squeezed shut. Terrified tears escaped the corners of her closed eyes and her mouth was pressed together tightly as she tried not to scream or cry out loud. She was indeed a strong woman.

The turbaned namek slid his eyes away from the scene and glanced at Vegeta. _'No wonder the bastard loves her. They're exactly the same.'_

Vegeta looked up to see Piccolo's shadowed eyes. His expression was tense and grim. He had seen something down there.

"What is it?" He whispered.

Piccolo shook his head and looked back at the two prisoners below. "Bulma and Gohan are down there."

In a flash Vegeta was at his side, his shocked face peering through the gap that the rocks made. Piccolo heard the small saiyajin growl and tense, but knew that he would not proceed forward yet. Together all the fighters were stalling, hoping that something would happen to prevent anyone from dying.

"What is he waiting for?" A voice suddenly spoke nearby.

Piccolo and Vegeta rushed from the area they once stood and pressed themselves between two cavernous rocks. It was an extremely tight squeeze and both fighters growled in annoyance as they were forced together, their bodies and limbs jabbing painfully into each other and the hard stone. There was a sound of footsteps nearby and they could feel each other's heartbeats as shadows could be seen pacing right by their hiding spot. If whoever was stalking near them drew any closer, there would be quite a surprise awaiting them.

"Walcon is waiting for that worthless saiyajin to arrive," a croaking voice replied.

"He has a saiyajin right there! Why doesn't he take the boy into him now?"

"That cowardly prince would not come here if Walcon didn't take a hostage or two. Besides…he is interested in the boy. I believe he just wants Vegeta first."

Piccolo felt his ally flinch against him, but Vegeta remained hidden. The two waited to see if the shadow demons had left, but their presence was still sensed nearby.

"I hate this!" The one with the croaking voice hissed. The other grunted in confusion. "I don't see why this planet has made Walcon channel his spirit. Years ago we all had a share in this planet's mind and soul…but after that Frieza bastard blasted us back to hell, it was only Walcon who received the Shadow Planet's powers."

There was a scoff from the other demon and the earth fighters heard a growl of annoyance.

"You know as well as I do that it's much harder to control each and every one of us. Do you know how many eyes this planet had to look through when each of us was channeled through him? I agree that it is not fair that we are only mere servants to Walcon now…but he is the one that our enemies will go for. Instead of our planet having to put an immense amount of effort into reforming each of us when we are destroyed, it only forces all of its power into Walcon. Our lord, this planet, decided to give only one demon all of its main powers after it took so long to rebuild itself once Frieza destroyed it."

The croaking demon coughed lightly and Vegeta and Piccolo heard him spit something from his mouth.

"I still think it's ridiculous. Walcon invited these idiot earthlings to the very core of this planet. If Walcon actually gets completely destroyed here…we are all gone for good."

"Shut up, Shawks! The likelihood of these moronic outsiders forcing the Light upon one of us demons is impossible. The Otherworld leaders would not have let them anywhere near those fucking angels."

The one named Shawks let out a strange wheezing whimper and his shadow could be seen pacing back and forth slightly. "One blast of that light to the emerging Soul Stealer energy would be devastating. What happens to us when we are killed, huh? What happens to us?!"

The shadows of the demons moved suddenly as the more forceful being slapped the other in the face. As Shawks fell back, his head cracked against red dirt that filtered from underneath Piccolo and Vegeta's booted feet. The demon's eyes blinked rapidly as his head fell to the side, his pale, almost white irises staring directly at their legs. The short monster opened his mouth to warn his friend, but Vegeta and Piccolo were startled as the larger demon crunched his black booted foot through his ally's face. The once aghast expression was now gone as brain matter and flesh wrapped around the cruel creature's foot. Vegeta and Piccolo remained motionless as Shawk's body flickered and faded away. There was a swirl of a dark maroon cape as the attacker turned and glided from the scene.

"When Walcon is struck with that power in his loud obnoxious mouth…it is the end for us all. For you Shawks…it was already time."

The two hiding warriors between the rocks hadn't realized they were holding their breath the entire time. Releasing the tension from their chest, there was a comedic moment as they pried themselves from the absurdly tight space. Piccolo pushed his hand against Vegeta's armored back as the graceful prince stuck his leg out at an awkward angle. They shifted and squirmed to get out before Piccolo finally leaned back and shoved his shoulder into the unsuspecting saiyajin. With a clumsy "oof!" Vegeta stumbled from the tight space and tripped. Piccolo blinked through the cloud of dust kicked up by the exhausted prince and then immediately approached him.

"Did you know that Walcon was a channel for this planet? Did you know that he is basically the voice for this whole world?"

Vegeta glared up at the green-faced alien and brushed the red dirt from his arms, wincing as his fingers grazed his open wounds.

"No…did you?"

Piccolo shook his head. "I'm guessing the gods of the other world didn't know either. This is important information. One strike to Walcon's power beam that sucks the souls from the living would destroy this whole planet. Now that we're in the core…a blast like that would be immense."

Vegeta's face remained dark and haunted, his black eyes staring up at the tall namek. The saiyajin's mouth tightened and he looked down at his filthy boots, his eyes resting on a violet stain, residue from his previous massacre of Frieza.

"That means that we still need the power beam to come out of him."

Piccolo's eyes widened slightly and then closed. Of course, this wasn't going to be easy. He knew that they wouldn't just be able to rush down to the center of this awful core and grab Bulma and Gohan and run. Piccolo had fought these Shadow Demons before. Their strange use of ghostly vanishing and reappearing undetected was almost impossible to fight against. And of course, once one of these demons was "killed" the planet could simply revive the corpse and keep it fighting. They couldn't risk a full out battle while Bulma and Gohan were at risk of being killed. They had two options: One-Use the Light Angel power directly in the core of the planet, thus killing Gohan and Bulma or Two- Get Vegeta to go down there and offer himself up. Piccolo of course would need to have precise aim, balance, and timing to strike the demon's soul sucking power as soon as it exited his mouth to prevent it from capturing Vegeta's soul entirely. And there was always a chance that Walcon could still live or the planet could still revive everything that was lost. They didn't have exact information and they certainly did not have the best of luck at the moment. One wrong move or misplaced action could very well kill someone…that person most likely being Vegeta.

"I'll go then," Vegeta said flatly. With a pained hiss, the armored warrior stood from his comfortable spot on the ground and grimaced at the pain in his body. "Listen, Namek," he growled dangerously. "I would much rather not be trapped inside this monster's mind forever. I know you have the Light Angel power inside you so make sure you intercept Walcon's beam. It…it should connect from his mouth to mine…so do try to not burn my face off while you're at it."

Piccolo kept his face grim and stoic as Vegeta turned his head and peered over the rocks. The wise namek knew Vegeta well after all these years. The prince was scared. His overly dark eyes and fatigue were clearly evident, but as usual, the proud saiyajin was putting up his emotional shields. He bluffed his way past his quaking terror and straightened his back before taking a step forward. Looking over his shoulder, Vegeta smirked his ever-present smirk and nodded his head slightly.

"I can't wait to see Walcon's face when his energy beam blows up his own head."

And with a dainty leap, the blue-clad prince lifted over the rocks and glided down to the circle of death that held the ones he cared for.

'_Yay! Another chapter done! Again, I thank you all for your great reviews and interest in this fanfiction. It has come a long way because of your awesome comments. I shall try to get another chapter out as soon as I can. Thanks!' _


	19. Surrender

Disclaimer: This is a non-profit fanfiction written by an obsessed fan of Dragonball Z, which was created by the genius Akira Toriyama.

Warnings: Violence, gore, blood, nasty stuff

Chapter 19

'_None of you interfere,' _Piccolo thought, his deep voice resonating throughout Goku, Krillin, Tien, and Yamcha's heads. He received a sense of grim acknowledgement from the downtrodden fighters as they watched Vegeta float down to the sandy red circle where Bulma and Gohan were being held. Even from the raised slope that the warriors hid behind, they could see the terrified and haunted expressions of their friends and loved ones as Walcon stood between them.

Vegeta's weakened frame glided over the fiery metal barrels that contained the bright red fire, the dancing flames casting a hellish glow on the surroundings. Landing unsteadily, Vegeta winced as pain shot through his legs, but he remained standing, his dark glare stabbing through the grinning shadow demon before him. In an instant, Walcon snapped his charcoal fingers and the surrounding jagged rocks were suddenly covered in shadows as hundreds of demons filled the large cave. Pained moans and gurgling wheezing echoed off the sloped red walls as the swaying hunched monsters blocked any chance of escape. They stood shoulder to shoulder, their blackened clothing and charred bodies creating a wall against the spiky rocks in which the other earth fighters hid.

If there was any chance of escape before, there definitely wasn't now. And yet, Vegeta was not concerned. He came for a reason and he was not planning to escape. His only chance of survival was Piccolo's perfect aim. If his Light Angel power was accurate enough, Walcon would be destroyed and the planet would be left helpless. How long it would be damaged, they did not know, but any small amount of hope and planning was all they needed.

Walcon stood in between the two tables that Bulma and Gohan were strapped to. Vegeta's dark eyes scanned them and he snapped in disgust at seeing the bloody wound in Gohan's shoulder. His skin was torn and his muscles had been bitten through. It looked as if Walcon or some other demon could not wait to taste saiyajin blood. The sight made his stomach churn violently. The young teenager raised his sunken head and Vegeta could not help the look of concern that crossed his features. The powerful fighter looked sickly and incredibly pale, his usually happy, joyous innocence swept away by the terror he had encountered. The boy should not have been involved. Of course he was an amazing fighter, but he was still just a child. Vegeta would not let him become scarred and horrified by his own shadow as he had been.

Looking at the beautiful woman to the left, Vegeta had to keep from shaking in rage at the utmost terror on her face. Tears continued to run and he could only imagine what Walcon had said to her or threatened her with. The fact that she probably had to witness the monster chewing through Gohan's shoulder was a disgusting and awful image for the prince to accept. She was the one he most wanted to keep safe.

Shaking his head, Vegeta's fists tightened as he was filled with an overwhelming anger, not only with the shadow demons, but with himself, too. If only he had never gone to that factory and seen all those bodies. If only he had never heard that dying man speak of the shadow demons and their search for him. If only…if only he had died when he was a child. He, or anyone else for that matter, would not be in this situation right now. He had been weak, and now the ones he learned to care for were suffering.

"Let them go," he hissed, his voice dark and threatening.

Walcon stepped forward, the ever present grin on his blackened, rotted face. His dark, chapped lips pulled back, revealing a row of glassy, broken yellow teeth. The demon's excitement could hardly be contained and the anxious joy seemed to sweep through all the surrounding demons, too. Together the horrid beings grew louder, their moaning, wheezing voices almost crying out with excitement.

"Ah, but Vegeta," Walcon's fluid voice rasped. "What do I get in return?"

The saiyajin appeared strong on the outside, but his mouth went completely dry as he stared into the face of the lunatic monster.

"Me."

Bulma's hands tightened at her sides, her wrists red and bruised from the tight shackles that bound them. More tears fell and her lips quivered.

"No, Vegeta. Vegeta don't. Ve-"

"Quiet, you little whore," Walcon mused, his gray eyes never leaving Vegeta's face.

Vegeta growled angrily at the sharp words and tensed. The demon looked amused by his actions and let out a condescending scoff.

"She is a little whore, you know. I got a chance to read through her mind, as well as the boy's. Geniuses they are, both of them. Amazing…and beautiful." Sweeping his dark robes behind him, Walcon moved around both upright tables, his chipped, decaying finger tracing the sides of his victims' faces. Stopping behind Bulma, his hands shot out and slid against her cheeks, his icy, dead palms making her whimper and sob hysterically. "I saw her little adventures when she was younger. I saw her dirty little secrets and fantasies. The things she envisions while thinking about you and…others is so tantalizing. What. A. Whore."

"Fuck you and let her GO!" Vegeta roared dangerously.

Taking a step forward, Walcon got the clue and took his smelly hands away from the poor woman's face. Her guilty, shameful eyes rose and she blinked through the tears. She saw her love's angry red face, the vein bulging from his temple as he glared at the monster next to her. She cried harder at the rage on his face. Not only was Vegeta angry with Walcon, but probably her, as well. Every intimate time they had shared, Walcon had seen. Every image that ran through her head, this monster exploited. She loved Vegeta. She loved that he cared for her and went out of his way to save her. She did not want her life or his to end with terrible thoughts of each other. It could not end this way.

"You let them both go. I'll go with you. There will be no hesitation and no stalling. Release Bulma and let the boy go, too. I assure you, you don't need him and the woman will do nothing for you. I will be plenty to satisfy."

Walcon contemplated this and barely noticed his bony finger twirling in Bulma's shiny blue locks. Vegeta felt his anger burning as the sadistic beast continued to touch the terrified woman, inciting more squeaks of terror. The monster's gray orbs looked to the rocky ceiling of the cave and he gave a sarcastic sigh.

"I'll release the woman for now," his silky voice hummed. "But I will keep the boy strapped in until I have you within me. That is my only insurance of your word."

Vegeta's dark eyes snapped to the wounded boy, his head bowed and long black bangs hanging in his face. Several thoughts ran through the prince's head and his heart pounded in his chest as the situation was becoming frantic. Looking down at his grimy boots, Vegeta concentrated and directed his thoughts to Piccolo.

'_You hear that?'_

The booming namek's voice entered his mind. '_Of course I heard it. I've already communicated with the others. They say go ahead. Vegeta, our plan will work and we won't have to worry about Walcon taking Gohan once I hit him with the Light Angel power.'_

Vegeta's heart beat faster and he felt a squirming fear take over his body. This was it. Walcon would release Bulma and he would have to approach the monster. The thing he had feared his whole life was actually about to happen. If one thing went wrong, he would be trapped in this hell forever.

Fearful, large eyes rose and Vegeta nodded. His body was visibly shaking now and he could only imagine what his pale face must look like. The fear was growing so immense in his head now that he barely registered the tall demon unclipping the shackles that bit into Bulma's wrists and ankles. Her trembling body slid from the splintered slab and her shaky feet hit the sandy, red ground. With shaking knees, the terrified woman stumbled briefly and eyed the hideous monster that had held her captive. Unconsciously, she backed up, her body vibrating with the fear and horror that ran through her.

"Run along little mouse," Walcon grinned, his yellowed teeth glinting red in the firelight.

With a "scooting" hand gesture from Walcon, fresh tears poured from Bulma's eyes and with a loud sob she sprinted into the arms of Vegeta, her body hitting him so hard that he was momentarily released from his terrified trance. The somewhat dazed prince looked down at the blue head of hair that pressed against his cracked and filthy armor. Bulma's shoulders bobbed up and down as she cried loudly into this chest. Her entire frame was shaking horribly, but Vegeta barely noticed over his own trembling form. Bulma's arms tightened and she gasped into her prince's strong torso.

"I'm so sorry, Vegeta," she whispered. "I didn't want him to read my mind. I didn't want him to see anything. I love you, I love you."

Tears drifted down her face and onto his smooth, grimy armor, the clear liquid creating small streams on Vegeta's once white chest plate. The prince felt his heart tighten and he realized that Bulma was ashamed of the thoughts that went through her head. He understood the pain and embarrassment she felt as the monster saw each and every one of her intimate, humiliating secrets. And she felt guilty. She felt guilty for him, for herself, and all those she loved. He knew that it could not end with her feeling so horrid. He knew that she loved him…and he did love her. He would never be able to tell her, though. Even now, when he was about to quite possibly end his life for good, he could not bring forth the words.

"Everything will be ok," he assured her as he pressed his nose into her hair and breathed in her lovely scent. "It's going to be ok."

And that was all he could say. The fear had once again consumed him and he lifted his eyes to see Walcon waiting with barely hidden glee. With a somewhat rough shove, Vegeta moved Bulma away from the scene. She stumbled back on the dusty floor and fell on her rear. Kicking up dirt and sand, the blue-haired beauty slid back toward one of the metal barrels where the burning red flames erupted into the air. Through her fear she could not hear the miniscule cries of horror that were emitted with each crackle of fire.

"Make sure she stays there," Walcon called to the hundreds of demons that outlined the rocky cavern.

With moans and growls of understanding the shadowy beasts crept closer, their hands reaching out and grabbing onto the terrified woman's shirt. In a panic, Bulma's wild eyes swept the tall, dim area, her heart racing as she tried to figure out where her friends were. This could not be happening. It was not possible for Vegeta to simply hand himself over like this. The terror he must have been feeling ate at her heart and soul and the only thing she could do was watch and cry.

"Alas, my prince, you will be a part of something so much greater. With your mind and spirit within me, I will become all-powerful. Oh, how I've longed for this."

Walcon stood next to Gohan and grinned maliciously at the armored saiyajin before flashing transparently and reappearing right in front of the small fighter. Vegeta blinked and took an uneasy step back, but then shook his head and straightened. He tried to set his face into the usual arrogant scowl, but he could not even feel any part of his body. The stench of the horrific beast passed his nostrils and he had to hold back a gag of disgust. The monster's ever-familiar face that had haunted his dreams for what seemed like forever was standing right before him, glaring him in the face and real as ever.

"You are as beautiful as you were when you were a child," he mused, his long, bony finger tracing the side of Vegeta's cheek, making the stunned saiyajin flinch in surprise. The gentle touch quickly became a tight grip around his jaw as Walcon suddenly brought him closer. Vegeta let out a pained gasp and tried to move backwards, but his shaking legs and wounded calves prevented him from fighting back. "God, I wish I could just torture you some more before I take your soul. The sound of your screaming voice is ever so pleasing…and the taste of your blood," he licked his chapped lips, "is ever so rewarding."

"Let him go!" Gohan cried from his uncomfortable position on the hard wooden slab. His tired eyes blinked slowly as the blood from his torn, mangled shoulder continued to leak from his small body.

Walcon looked over this shoulder and grinned at the wounded teenager and then gazed with much amusement at the struggling saiyajin in his grasp. The shadow demon lifted his free hand and traced the torn, angry wounds in Vegeta's arms, his chipped, broken nails tearing the painful injuries open again.

"But I am satisfied in seeing my art still in effect on your body. These bleeding holes I've placed in your body make me happy…though it is mostly your fault they are there. Still…I think I need to see you writhe in a bit more pain before you leave this physical plain."

There was a loud clink of metal and the shearing sound of flesh that echoed within the domed "room." The hand that had held Vegeta's jaw firmly slowly released as Walcon took a step back and examined the gasping, stunned prince. Everything seemed to go silent as Vegeta slowly looked down at the wiry, machine-like object that had pierced through his stomach and jutted out his back. The weapon looked as if an insane metal cutter, who had decided to meld chunks of broken pipe and slabs of sheer silver iron together, created it. From the wreckage of the jagged chunk, thin piercing wires splintered from the cracks and broken tips of larger pieces. The giant device protruded straight out of Vegeta's back, the pointed, rough edges and whiskery wires covered with gory bits of Vegeta's flesh and organs. With sickening wet slaps, the pieces of muscle slid from the smoother areas and landed on the dirt below, whereas other bits of body hung from the nightmarish metal.

There was screaming coming from somewhere nearby, but a deafeningly loud buzz had suddenly filled Vegeta's ears. His vision blurred and he felt a hot, salty taste flood his mouth. He had sagged to knees, but could not fall forwards or backwards as the large contraption that stuck from his body was too big and kept him in a sitting position. Someone was screaming and crying…a female voice perhaps? It didn't really matter now as his brain hummed with dizzying activity. A dark shadow loomed over him, and for a second he remembered why he was there and what had happened. His mouth fell open, his wide eyes rolled upwards, and he let out a voiceless scream.

Piccolo watched in horror as Walcon had gripped Vegeta forcefully by the head and spoke so smoothly about his wishes. The demon's free hand seemed to twitch back and forth oddly a he spoke, and for a second Piccolo thought he had seen the ground bulge slightly at monster's feet. Walcon spoke of the pain he inflicted on the saiyajin prince and in an impressive speed, the ground seemed to tear open as glistening metal erupted forth. The movement was amazingly fast and Piccolo could only release a gasp as the shadow demon rammed a hideous object consisting of twisted metal into the stunned saiyajin's stomach. The force behind the blow was immense and there was an explosion of blood, as it seemed Vegeta's insides had been forced through his back.

It all happened so fast. Vegeta had been standing there, unaware of the attack to come, and in an instant the prince fell to his knees, what remained of his back sagging inward and his head falling back as his almost lifeless eyes gazed at the jagged cave ceiling. Piccolo could feel the shock and horror from the others as they hid behind the looming rocks across the way and watched the awful scene. Bulma had started screaming. Down below, she could be seen fighting and scratching the demons that held her. Her hair flung back and forth as she cried and shrieked and tried to lunge for her loved one.

Piccolo could feel Goku attempting to make his way down there. He could feel the saiyajin's power rising and cursed the outraged, kind-hearted being for his lack of patience. There was still a chance of getting Vegeta. Obviously Walcon would not just kill Vegeta right there. He needed the saiyajin to be alive to gather his soul. Once Walcon made his move, Piccolo would have to close in quickly. He only hoped the others could explain this to Goku.

Piccolo eyed the scene below with great disgust and horror. Blood seeped from Vegeta's mouth like black sludge and pieces of his flesh were stabbed into the pointed tips of the metal contraption like worms on a fishhook. He watched as Walcon approached the dying saiyajin, his eyes totally focused on his prey. Walcon ignored Bulma's screams of horror and rage and Gohan's cries of disgust and grief. His glassy, gray irises gazed hungrily at the white-faced saiyajin prince whose mouth hung open in a silent scream. But even Piccolo could hear the terrified, breathy wheeze that flowed from the barely conscious warrior. It was a mortified sound he never wanted to hear again.

Walcon stood right in front of the dying prince, his legs almost scraping against the dangerous blades that protruded from Vegeta. With a swift movement, Walcon leaned back slightly and rammed his booted foot directly into the jagged metal base of the wiry chunk of metal. The action sent Vegeta straight back, the fleshy, bloody top of the weapon digging deeply into the ground, securing the gasping, choking prince against the red surface. Secured to the dusty floor, Vegeta's motionless hands rested on either side of his face and his head tilted to his left, his faded eyes looking directly at Bulma, but unseeing. The deep, maroon blood continued to seep from his parted lips and his life seemed to slip out as more blood drained from the wound in his stomach and back. Lying in a pool of death, Vegeta's energy dropped dangerously low, his power leaving him completely.

"Ah-ah," Walcon mused with a flick of his finger. There was a bright spark on his fingertips and he placed his nail directly against Vegeta's curved widows peek. With a loud crack, the white energy shocked the dying body and Vegeta came to with a horrified and agonizing yelp. "Can't have you dead just yet."

Vegeta's teeth clenched and tears formed in the corners of his eyes as he felt his body screaming in agony. The jagged metal that stabbed into his stomach sent waves of crazed terror through him, and his body began to jerk and twitch with convulsions. He could feel his insides completely torn apart and the thin wires that sheared through various parts of his torso digging into flesh. His teeth chattered and blood continued to spill out of his mouth and he wished for death. Vegeta would rather be unconscious or dead than be able to feel the huge, monstrous creation that nailed him to the ground. But he knew that Walcon would not let him rest. He knew that he would keep him alive and awake to endure the pain and horror of it all.

The demon appeared over him suddenly, and even through blurred, tear-filled vision, Vegeta could see his grinning, cruel face. Eyes of death burned into him and Vegeta let out a small whimper of terror and pain.

"I needed to keep you in place, my prince," Walcon mused. "This should help."

With a snap of the fingers, the thin wires that stuck out from the metal tool squirmed to life and extended outward suddenly. The needle-like tips spread throughout and within Vegeta's body, many of them stabbing into his lungs and out his sides, others shooting through his skin and connecting even further into the ground. From the wires grew even smaller, thread-like metal strings, which rooted the weapon like a tree. The thin wires snaked within the ground and twisted along his wrists and arms, the sharp edges cutting through his tough blue under-outfit and gloves.

The caved room exploded with Vegeta's screams as his body was completely torn apart. His shrieking voice pierced the ears of his friends and caused Bulma and Gohan to cry out more. His muscles and organs were completely shredded and he could feel it. He could feel it! Writhing and twisting back and forth caused his body to scream out more in excruciating pain, but he didn't care. He wanted death. He wanted the darkness to consume him and the numbing, horrific pain to stop.

There was another spark against his forehead and Vegeta was awakened once again, this time, his senses fully registering the pain and agony he was in. As he screamed in terror at his destroyed, dying body, blood bubbled in his throat and sprinkled from his mouth and nose. Tears poured from his eyes from the stabbing, suffocating agony and he tossed his head against the ground, hoping to break his skull open and die…but he was unaware that he could barely lift his head and his movements were immensely weak.

Walcon bent down and cupped Vegeta's chattering jaw as he mumbled incoherently, his usually black eyes faded and pale. The demon laughed and patted the crazed saiyajin's cheek and shocked him once again to gain his full attention. Though, it was hard to get the prince to listen to him as he let out another ear-splitting scream. The area vibrated with Vegeta's shaking cries and Walcon frowned impatiently, then pressed his scaly, cold hand against the dying alien's mouth to shut him up.

"Well, this is fun," he laughed as blood leaked in between his dark fingers. "Just like good old times!"

Vegeta's bleary eyes squeezed shut as he convulsed painfully and moaned into the decayed, filthy hand.

"I want you to realize something," Walcon said, his tight hand shaking Vegeta's head back and forth to gain his attention. "I want you to be honored that I have found such an interest in you. You really are special if I want to have so much fun tormenting you and then keeping you inside me forever. Soon…you will be another one of my flames. You'll be another one of my screaming voices within one of these barrels, yet imprisoned in my mind…forever."

Walcon removed his bony hand from Vegeta's trembling, chattering mouth and grinned at the familiar, terrified face that stared back at him. Yes, this was the same boy that had begged for his life when he was only six years old. This was the same arrogant, self-assured ego that he had taken and tortured as a youth. The big, wet horrified eyes that stared back at him told memories and nightmares of death and terror. Vegeta had not changed since he was a young child. He was still afraid of the monsters in the dark that haunted his dreams. This time, he would not be escaping.

Vegeta's head fell to the side again, and his blurred, hazy vision caught sight of the red flames that danced above the metal barrels that surrounded this circle of death. As he felt his life bleed out of him, he saw the terrified faces of the imprisoned as they popped and sizzled into the air, their mouths wide and screaming. He was going to be one of them soon.

Swinging his head back toward to Walcon, he saw the monster looking coolly down at him, a satisfied smirk on his face, as he knew he had finally won. He was going to win the prince. Vegeta felt his eyelids lowering in defeat as his life flooded out of him. He wished for death before Walcon could take him, but was ripped from his reverie as the monster plunged a finger into Vegeta's wounded, bloody side and twisted a wire deep inside of him. Vegeta suddenly found himself back in the castle of the shadow planet years and years ago. He remembered the nails in his face, the horrific hammering as his cheekbones were ground into. He remembered the monster's fingers up his spine, the electrocution he endured…and the dead bodies within the basins.

Pure terror swept through him and he chattered deliriously, shaking his head back and forth as Walcon slowly leaned closer and closer to his face. There was a faint voice in his head telling him not to move, to stay still, that everything would be ok. But he couldn't believe it. He was going to die and be taken away into a place worse than hell forever! There was a fucking jagged piece of metal stabbed completely through him and this creature would not let him die!

The finger inside his stomach continued to twist back and forth, making the wire it so dearly gripped sink further and further into his muscles and ribs. Walcon's gray lips opened and a blue light eventually began to glow.

Vegeta's teary eyes slid to the side to where he knew Piccolo hid. With a pained, agonizing cough he tried to take in a wheezing breath, but was unsuccessful.

"Help me," he whispered. Walcon merely chuckled. "Help me, help me."

'_It's ok, Vegeta. I know you're in pain, but in a few seconds it will be over. Stay still and we will win this,'_ the namek's voice soothed.

Vegeta clenched his teeth and turned away, but Walcon's cold, dead finger lightly turned his chin back toward him and pulled open his mouth.

"I'm not ready yet," Vegeta's fading voice rasped. "Help…me."

And in a blinding the flash, the blue light shot from Walcon's open mouth and into Vegeta's. The icy, blue coldness seemed to numb his insides and tear at the flesh in his throat. The painful ripping worked its way down his esophagus, the horrid feeling blocking any air passages. Vegeta writhed and squirmed, but the thin wires wrapped around his weakened arms sliced into his skin and held him still. His soul was going to be collected and he could do nothing to stop it. The blue light grew stronger and Vegeta felt himself wanting to scream as it pushed its way against his destroyed insides, the energy twisting the wires and metal daggers that tore into his muscles and organs.

Someone was screaming…calling his name and fighting. Was it Kakarotto? Gohan? Had he escaped? Were the fighters actually going to come and save him? Past the numbing pain that had entirely engulfed his body, Vegeta tried to use his senses. His clouded, pained mind could barely grasp anything that was going on…but he could see a beautiful blue energy nearby. In his hazy brain, he saw a fear stricken face, blue eyes wet with tears and arms lashing out at the demons that held her. She was calling his name…crying for him. She was attempting to save him. She was trying to save…him. Why?

Vegeta kept his mind on that one pure energy as it fought against the demons that held her back. She was a weak, fragile human, yet her heart was stronger than anything he had ever felt. His half-closed eyes continued to stare into the face of the devil, but he was at peace as Bulma's weak…yet incredibly strong energy drew near. She was calling for him and fighting against monsters of pure terror and evil…all for him.

She could get killed.

One hazy eye opened as Vegeta felt his insides pinch in agony and twist. He had felt this in a dream before and knew that Walcon had collected what he wanted. The icy, blue energy crept within his body and soul, the sticky edges of the evil power ripping at the flesh inside of him. But even as the excruciating pain began to lift up, he knew that Bulma needed help. Someone had to protect her. And soul or not, he would.

Vegeta's vision started to fade, as well as hearing and all senses. The blue energy was attempting to pull out faster, but Vegeta began to writhe and kick out. The thin wires around his arms practically sliced all the way through as he flailed and convulsed. An insane desperation and anger flooded him as Bulma's emotions were felt and all he knew was that he had to help her. She was trying to get to him, but she could die in the process. He would not let that happen!

He didn't know how far his soul was to being completely engulfed, but through his blind, deaf state, he commanded his body to move and fight back. The metal weapon within him ground against his insides and the wires ripped through more of his body, but he continued to fight back. He could feel the blue energy rise up to his throat again and suddenly he could breathe a bit easier, though, he was gasping and choking. He felt exhausted and completely left in darkness, but he had to fight.

Vegeta could sense a commotion occurring, and the blue energy paused deep within his throat momentarily, but he continued to struggle against his pained, frozen body. A voice…the namek's, told him to stay still and stop moving, but he couldn't. He had to get Bulma. He had to make sure she was at a safe distance. If anything happened to her…

"**Just kill the girl!" **A horrid voice reverberated throughout his mind, as well as the others.

And through his dazed, almost lifeless mind, Vegeta felt a dark energy, and Bulma's life source fade to nothing.

'_And he woke up and it was all a dream. Haha, just kidding. But, wow, is this getting exciting or what? Again, sorry for making you all wait so long for this. I'm kind of on a roll, so hopefully I'll be able to get the next chapter out soon. You're all great and thanks for reading!'_


	20. Attack

_'Hello again, and thanks for all the great reviews. I'm glad you liked the chapter. Now…for some Q and A!_

"_By the by, where did you come up with the idea for that hellish symbiotic weapon?"_ I don't really know. I actually wasn't even planning on having this whole big torture scene, but I think it needed to end with a little oomph! I just concocted it in my head and it resulted in this terrifying, bug-like piece of metal. All I know is that I wouldn't want that in my stomach. As usual, thanks for the review Lupin!

"_It's a good thing your writing stories, I hate to think what you would do if someone got on your badside."_ As much as this is a terrifying and gruesome story…I am very easy going and non-confrontational in real life. I think that all my built up aggression and interest in a genre such as horror has lead to this story. It's a good stress reliever to write this stuff. Thanks for the review, Crocodile!

"_Shouldn't he have trown the Light Angel Power by now? Or does that happen later in the procces?" _All in due time, my friend, hee hee. Don't worry, I have not forgotten. As always, thanks for the review Debje.

_And again, thank you all for such lovely reviews. It's what keeps the story going._

Warnings: Blood, gore, nastiness, the usual horror violence

Disclaimer: This is a non-profit fanfiction written by an obsessed fan of Dragonball Z, which was created by the genius Akira Toriyama.

Chapter 20

Piccolo growled as he held his arm out over the jutting rocks that lined the large, circular cave. His green bicep rested on a rocky ledge as his palm took aim at the blue light that connected from Walcon's mouth to Vegeta's. The tall namek had not been expecting the horrid weapon to be shoved through Vegeta, and his worried, stressed mind could barely concentrate on the task at hand. To make matters worse, Bulma had no idea that an actual plan was in motion, and as soon as the shadow demon's beam shot into Vegeta's throat the blue-haired beauty began to thrash in the clawed hands of the surrounding monsters. Piccolo tried to ignore her and her screaming, but he could not help but become distracted and amazed as the small, weak woman managed to drag a few of the corpse like monsters along with her as she attempted to reach for her prince.

And then Vegeta decided to fight back. Even through the near death state he was in, the arrogant, powerful saiyajin managed to revive his hazy mind and through his blinding numbness, began to fight back. Piccolo struggled to keep his eye on the narrow beam that continued to slowly pull out Vegeta's soul, but as the hysterical saiyajin began to writhe and shift on the red, sandy floor, the beam wavered and shook, making it nearly impossible to fire the Light Angel power without hitting Vegeta.

Piccolo could feel Goku and some of the others begin to raise their own powers, but he mentally pleaded with them to hold back. Goku's emotions burst forth and Piccolo felt a wave of anxiety and horror at the sight at hand. Piccolo begged the third-class to remain patient for a moment longer.

A sudden voice rang out in the curved area. It was a mix of vocal sounds and mental words, but it could not be mistaken for anyone else. Even with the icy blue beam that exited through his corpse-like mouth, the voice of the planet exploded from the lanky, skeletal shadow demon, Walcon…and his demand struck the earth warriors with numbing terror.

"**Just kill the girl!!"**

Piccolo and the others looked down in time to see the small group of demons that held Bulma's thrashing body completely surround and immobilize her. In a rush of panic, Bulma's blue eyes widened in utmost horror as a clawed hand slammed into her back and pushed forward even further. She let out a hiccupped yelp as her torso exploded with agony, a feeling of rusted, twisted daggers shredding her abdomen as the demon behind her shoved his hand completely through her body, his chipped, bloody fingernails sticking out of her stomach. Her small, lithe body fell entirely limp and her blue eyes grew clouded and gray instantly. A small trail of blood bubbled up over her bottom lip and tears leaked slowly from her eyes, down her white cheeks. Releasing her and backing away, the shadow demons snickered and turned to their master, amused grins on their faces as they watched the saiyajin struggle against the force that entered his body and slowly drained his soul. Bulma lay slumped at the demons' feet, unmoving and silent.

An enraged and ferocious yell echoed throughout the red core of the planet and a golden light erupted from the jagged wall of rocks above. Goku could no longer wait. Plowing forward, the super-saiyajin rushed to the side of his unconscious friend, his yellow energy throwing the shadow demons against the rocks that surrounded them. The kind-hearted saiyajin placed his hands gently under Bulma's head and clenched his teeth with rage, as her seemingly lifeless eyes still remained teary and half-opened. But she still had life within her. Her rapidly fading energy could still be sensed. Goku's head snapped up to Walcon, his green eyes burning with fury as the shadow demon leaned over the tortured prince, his sharp, yellow teeth practically biting onto the blue energy that intended to rip out the prince's soul and send him into an eternal hell. Goku blinked through the red haze that was slowly filling his vision and stood, his whole body shaking as a tremendous rage engulfed him.

The saiyajin had seen enough. This entire world was nothing but a satanic, hellish nightmare that he would not longer tolerate. The kind-hearted, childish warrior had always believed that people deserved second chances and time to change their ways. But these creatures had to be killed here and now…and never heard from again.

Running forward, Goku brought his energy up and concentrated his kame-hame-ha to his pulsing hands. His blue boots carried him forward and he saw the surprised, yet annoyed look in Walcon's eyes. In his rage, he barely heard his friends yelling at him to stop.

Piccolo cursed under his breath as the spontaneous earth-saiyajin rushed toward Walcon. Even if the enraged fighter landed a direct blow on the shadow demon, the planet would merely regenerate the body and it would be a never-ending cycle. Decisions made, the caped namek blasted from his hiding place and brought the Light Angel power to hand. Hurrying as fast as he could, he plowed into Goku's unsuspecting back and sat upon the shocked saiyajin. Without hesitation, Piccolo lifted a hand and fired all the energy he had, his voice yelling out as the intense light brightened the room and blinded everyone.

All Vegeta knew was that he could no longer sense Bulma. Still, he willed his useless, shattered body to continue to fight, but he didn't even know if he was moving. He didn't even know if he was alive anymore. Everything was numb, yet everything was in pain. He could not breath, could not see, could barely hear, and suddenly, what little blackened vision he had, had exploded into a blinding light. He sensed a strange tingling on the right side of his face and the horrid, nauseating pinch that had been slowly eating its way from his stomach up to his throat had ceased. The awful coldness that invaded his body vanished suddenly…only to be replaced with the stabbing, horrific pain he had felt before Walcon tried to take his soul. As soon as Vegeta felt the painful burning sensation on his face, he instantly screamed out in agony, as there was a nightmarish, horrible force within his stomach. Through hazy vision, Vegeta saw a blackened stream of liquid fly over his head and land mostly on his pale face. It was his blood. He could sense his body twitching and jerking as he convulsed, his arms and torso feeling as if they had suddenly been ripped to shreds.

The room could only watch in amazement and horror as Piccolo sat upon Goku's back and fired the Light Angel power. The blinding, heavenly light shot from his green palm, the beam fat and powerful as it was launched directly at the narrow strip that connected Walcon to Vegeta. They held their breath as the wondrous light collided with the beam. Unfortunately, a large part of the energy grazed the side of Vegeta's face and disappeared, the edge of the heavenly light evaporating into a light cloud. The blue energy shook violently and broke apart. The demon's horrid power lashed out and backfired, the intense force exploding in the monster's face, the sparks lighting his blackened, dry skin. Walcon let out a pained shriek and was thrown back…but not before trying to grab onto to something to steady himself. The demon's clawed fingers snagged a rough metal edge of the horrific weapon that protruded from Vegeta's abdomen, the force of the Light Angel power launching him backwards. Walcon held onto the metal instrument of torture and both were thrown across the circular area into the valley of jagged rocks beyond the sandy red floor. All the wires and pointed metal snags that had been stabbed into Vegeta were ripped free, his skin, muscles, and organs torn even more in the process.

The fighters of earth flew from their hiding spaces to join their friends below. Yamcha rushed to Bulma's side, his eyes welling with tears as he gripped her cold hand and gazed down at her pale, tear-stained face. His dark eyes traveled to the fist-sized hole in her stomach and he groaned miserably. He cursed himself for not being there for her, his stomach clenching as the events of the whole situation replayed in his head over and over again.

Tien and Krillin rushed to Gohan's side, their hands working quickly as they undid the painful metal clamps that bound him to the upright table. The teenager slid from the splintered, stained surface and sagged to the ground. On all fours he panted and moaned painfully, his body shaking from the terror he just endured.

Piccolo breathed in deeply and stood, his booted feet resting next to Goku's shaking form. The namek tried to clear his head as he gazed around the area. The hundreds of shadow demons hid amongst the rocks, their wide, gray eyes staring at the fighters that had defeated their master. A streak of pale, orange blood and black flesh littered the ground, leading to where Walcon had landed beyond the tall rocks. The namek blinked slowly, and his large eyebrow ridge lowered. Something was not right. Walcon's soul-stealing beam had been hit directly. Why was the planet not exploding? Why were the demons still here?

There was a gasping choke coming from the ground as Vegeta convulsed horribly. Piccolo inhaled deeply and approached the dying saiyajin's side. The wise namek, who was so very good at keeping his emotions intact, blanched at the sight at hand. Coughing lightly, Piccolo brought a hand to his nose as the stench of blood hit him. He looked down, staring directly into Vegeta's open stomach. Muscle and sinew hung from his sides and the wires that had been cutting into his arms had ripped at his muscle, as well. The right side of his face looked as if it has been slid across a rocky terrain from where the angel power struck him, small blisters and red scrapes causing small streams of blood to slide slowly from his crimson cheek. And yet…the small being was still holding on. The dying saiyajin flung his head side to side as he gasped for breath. His mouth worded silently, but Piccolo could tell what he was saying. Blood pooled over his thin, curved lips, but the namek's excellent hearing could understand what the tortured fighter was murmuring.

"Bulma," he whispered. "Save….Bulma."

Whirling around, Piccolo's long cape trailed behind him. His sharp eyes snapped to the warriors that mourned the injured and dying.

"Pick them up. We're going to King Yemma right now. Dende should still be there."

Surprised eyes snapped up at the booming voice, their grief-filled minds not quite grasping what he just said.

"NOW!!"

Yamcha leapt slightly and then gently gathered Bulma's bloody form in his arms. Standing carefully, the scarred human made his way to Goku's side, who was still kneeling on the ground. The third-class sighed as he stared at the agonizing form of his prince and stood slowly, letting his golden hair fall back into its original black. Goku looked at Vegeta's mangled body and then to his son, who was being carefully tended to by Tien and Krillin. Piccolo saw the grief and pain in his ally's eyes and turned away. Leaning down, Piccolo placed a hand on the almost lifeless prince's side, his mind trying to concoct a way to pick up the torn being without killing him instantly. He placed his clawed hands delicately around the bleeding and tormented saiyajin and was about to lift him into his powerful arms…before a familiar, snarling wheeze crept from behind the rocks in the distance.

The entire room grew deathly quiet as a shadowed; twisting form flung itself from beyond the tall, spiked rocks. Standing awkwardly, shoulders uneven and hands held up as if trying to keep its balance, the drooling, torn face of Walcon stared up at the fools that tried to stop him. Tripping over a few loose rocks, the lanky, bony being horrifyingly flung back and forth, its twisting, flailing body shimmered and reappeared closer, as if it was an image on a poorly made TV with bad reception. Walcon staggered forward more, his hands held at his sides and bent awkwardly, his face barely recognizable as loose strands of flesh slid from his skull in wet, blackened chunks. The rattling in his probably broken throat rumbled so loudly it sounded as if he were purring and his wheezing breath took on a higher pitch as if part of his esophagus had been crushed.

"The Light Angel power," Walcon's gurgling, watery voice hissed. "You had…the Light Angel power? And it still did not work against me!"

Piccolo and the others watched as the demon drew closer, his horrible figure bent and twisted. True, the Light Angel power had not destroyed the monster, but the obvious contact had completely ruined him. It must have been the fact that Piccolo's attack hadn't fully met Walcon's beam, part of it hitting Vegeta that allowed the monster to return. The planet itself was having a hard time regenerating because of the blow, but it still did not stop Walcon. The walking corpse appeared almost powerless and somewhat disoriented…but he still had not been destroyed, nor had the planet. Bulma was dying and Vegeta was as a good as dead. Walcon still lived. The Shadow planet won.

"You're not taking away my little pet, are you?" Walcon seethed.

He stood a few feet from the fighters, one eye fixed on the twitching saiyajin on the sandy floor and the other eye completely missing, the socket bubbled up with burnt flesh. Walcon watched as Vegeta jerked and gasped for his last breaths. Sticking one bony, skinless finger at the dying prince, Walcon suddenly began to shoot small streams of energy at the dying being. Piccolo growled angrily and charged the crazed demon as he continued his torture, even though the monster was in no position to waste energy, but stopped as he heard Vegeta groan loudly. Piccolo turned to see Vegeta's eyes open and staring at him, his lips moving as he clearly stared at the charging Namek. Walcon had been shocking Vegeta back to life…just so he could try and take his soul again.

"Bring Bulma to Dende," Vegeta gasped as pain shot throughout his entire body. Tears sat within the strong saiyajin's eyes as the excruciating agony engulfed him. "Take her and Gohan to Dende. All of you…leave. Leave me here."

Piccolo fully turned to the shredded and broken being that unconsciously lifted a hand and ran gloved fingers along the mutilated flesh around his ribs. Piccolo stared into the pale, hazy face of his ally and contemplated the saiyajin's feverish mind.

"Namek…go. Remember…you're…not the only one who had…that power."

Piccolo's eyes widened and he turned to Walcon who continued to stare at Vegeta hungrily. The demon was totally oblivious to what was being said, his fucked up mind only concentrating on one thing. Vegeta's soul would be his. But the prince had other plans. Piccolo did not know how the dying saiyajin would do it, but Vegeta intended to use the angel power he still had in him. The egotistical, arrogant, courageous prince was not going down without a fight. He was planning to die…but he was going to die as a saiyajin should…fighting until the end.

"Come on," Piccolo spoke firmly. "We're going."

"And leave Vegeta?" Gohan shrieked as he swayed in Tien and Krillin's arms.

Piccolo nodded and grabbed Goku roughly by the shoulder. His dark eyes stared into Goku's wide ones and he remained silent for a moment.

"We're…just going to leave him?" The innocent warrior asked.

"Teleport us to Dende, Goku. Bulma and Gohan need help. Don't fight me on this."

Goku stared into his friend's face a moment longer, his brain humming loudly. He could not be the leader at this moment, and was secretly grateful that Piccolo had taken charge. Guilt had overtaken the earth saiyajin and he merely nodded silently as his friends gathered around him. All hands touched him and Goku brought his two fingers to his forehead as he concentrated. He couldn't help but let his dark eyes slide over to where Vegeta lay, the prince's grayed irises watching calmly as Walcon staggered closer to him. Not bearing the thought of what was about to happen, the third-class imagined a much happier place, and together the small group shimmered and disappeared, leaving the horribly wounded and dying prince to fend for himself.

Vegeta could feel himself slipping into a pained exhaustion again, but was once more agonizingly shocked back to life, the approaching demon having a grand time firing shot after shot of hot white energy into his chest. Each strike woke him even more, making him horribly aware of how badly of a condition he was in. In a matter of seconds, Walcon stood over the bleeding saiyajin, his loose, torn face hanging off like strips of newspaper. Small drops of stale, rancid blood fell from Walcon's face, the orange liquid going unnoticed as it splattered on Vegeta's numb cheeks.

"I don't think we need an audience," Walcon wheezed, his twisted spine making him twist his head to peer at the silent demons that had filled the room. In a flash, all the others vanished, leaving only the two enemies.

Vegeta forced a small smirk on his cold face as he gazed up at the weakened monster. "You just can't keep all the corpses up, can you? You've lost too much power because of Piccolo's attack. You, the planet, only have barely enough strength to pathetically keep Walcon sustained."

The demon's mutilated face scowled deeply, the muscles in the dead façade moving visibly underneath the strips of charred skin. Walcon lifted a finger and shot a series of more white-hot energy into Vegeta, the sparks waking the saiyajin up more and more. Walcon wanted Vegeta awake and in pain as long as possible. There would be no peaceful sleep or escape from the torment.

"I still have enough power to do what I need to do. I think it's time for one last kiss. Say goodbye to your worthless body, Saiyajin."

Vegeta watched carefully as the broken body of the demon leaned down, its bones cracking as it bent strangely. Walcon brought his face forward again, his mouth opening anxiously and the blue light shimmering within his throat. Vegeta remained motionless, allowing his mind to clear and trying to hold onto the energy that Walcon had given him. The blue light grew brighter and Vegeta could sense the dreaded energy about to launch into him again. But this time…he was ready.

Ignoring the agony in his left arm, Vegeta threw his weight forward, his bloody, gloved hand clamping around Walcon's thin throat. The demon let out a somewhat comical gasp and choke and began to pull away from the seemingly immortal saiyajin. But Vegeta put all his strength into keeping his hand tightened around Walcon's throat. Images rushed through his head as he remembered Bulma's terrified screams and cries of pain. He had felt her power drop and he knew that they had hurt her. They discarded her like a useless object. She was innocent, and these monsters had wounded her greatly. They would all pay. This planet was going up in smoke.

As Walcon attempted to pry Vegeta iron fingers from his throat, he backed up painfully, dragging Vegeta along with him. Walcon stood fully, pulling Vegeta's short form up, as well, and with all his might, the beaten, shredded prince forced himself to try and stand. His entire body screeched in agony, but he steadied himself by clutching the demon's throat, his other hand pressed against the gaping hole in his stomach, trying to prevent his innards from seeping out.

Walcon let out an ear-piercing shriek and threw himself to the side, the flesh coming away from his throat and more rancid, decayed blood pouring from the unused arteries. Vegeta's hand fell limply to his side, but he remained perfectly standing, his motionless body hunched slightly as he held his other hand tightly to his abdomen. Strands of demonic flesh clung to the fingers on his left hand, but he did not notice. He stared blindly into the distance as horrible waves of vertigo attacked his dying brain. He knew that if he moved, he was going down. He had no idea how his spine was still intact, but here he was…standing on two feet as a gargantuan hole through his back and stomach threatened to let his organs spill out on the floor. Through his blotchy, spinning world, Vegeta did not notice the red, almost black blood that pooled around his once white boots. He wasn't really aware of anything as his vision faded in and out and his body throbbed with a numbing, dagger-like pain. He wasn't even sure how he was still alive.

"You stupid saiyajin!" Walcon spat. "You're just killing yourself faster. There is no way to beat me! That namek couldn't even defeat me and he had the light angel power!"

Vegeta's blurred, gray eyes wildly slid over to the tall-blackened figure that was shouting at him. Oh yes, he was supposed to kill this freak. He had tried to kill….Bulma. Stabbed her? Tried to kill him, too.

Vegeta finally moved his head and looked at his left hand. Moving his fingers, he watched dreamily as Walcon's blackened, gory flesh slid along his bloody gloves. Vegeta was loosing himself again and knew that he had to do something before he fell once more.

_"We can be strong again if we stand up to evil. I do not wish to kill anymore and I do not want any more death. We have become mindless killing machines and we have learned to love hatred. I am standing here, before you all, at the hands of death and I am telling you, set them free. Fight against evil. Fight against hatred. We have been doing evil, but that does not mean we can't stop it."_

These words suddenly entered Vegeta's head. A man had told him this. A man…with sandy hair…an accent…a grim reaper. As Vegeta stood solidly on his feet, his gloved hand now completely red from the blood that washed down the front of his body, he began to remember what the German soldier had said. The prince knew that he had been evil. He knew that evil still resided in his heart. He knew that he would never be rid of the darkness that dwelled within him…but he also knew that he would not end up like the shadow demons. He would not be like Frieza anymore. Zacher understood that there was a time to realize that mindless killing would solve nothing and killing and tormenting those weaker than you would achieve nothing. He needed to set himself free and if that meant dying in the process, then so be it. Innocent lives were hurt and tortured…and Vegeta would be the one to stop it at last.

"The namek had no real aim," Vegeta murmured, blood flying from his trembling lips as he spoke. "I…do."

Forcing the last inkling of power Vegeta he had, the saiyajin spun on heel, his body swaying almost gracefully. The red blood that had covered him flung to his sides as his dainty form turned, and with heavy feet, the saiyajin trudged forward before breaking into a run. Walcon grinned madly and crouched low, his lanky body anticipating the punch or kick he believed he was going to receive. He watched with unveiled amusement as Vegeta charged forward, somewhat amazed at the speed the half-dead prince produced. Blood flew from his back and from his sides as Vegeta still held one hand to his stomach, the almost black liquid streaming from in between his fingers. The saiyajin's black hair blew behind him and the hot air rushed past his numb face. Almost like an angel of death, the prince rushed forward, a morbid image of desperation as his blood flowed behind him, making it appear that he had grown crimson wings.

Walcon laughed and charged forward, planning to leap upon the saiyajin and knock him to the floor where he would finally be able to bring the prince's soul inside of him at last. The two beings rushed each other, one a channel and beacon of darkness and pure evil, and the other a streaming form of torment and pain. Red trails splattered the ground as Vegeta's booted feet kicked up sand but he was in autopilot now, one hand firmly pressed against the gaping hole that had been torn throughout his entire body while the one drew forth the heavenly light that was within him. Vegeta could sense a random heat forming within his left hand, but he could not fully feel it. His entire body felt as if it were merely floating forward, his vision just a blur of hazy colors and blinding fireworks. A dark shadow leapt into the air and Vegeta paused as the blackened demon sailed toward him, mouth open and laughing, and the blue light already forming in his wide-open jaws. Vegeta could feel an animalistic growl rumbling deep within his chest. Like a growling lion, Vegeta brought air into his lungs and let out a ferocious roar that shook the entire core of the planet. His sharp canines glistened in the red room and lines of fury sketched Vegeta's expression. Just as Walcon's gaping, snarling mouth neared Vegeta's face, the saiyajin blindly threw his body forward with all his might, his left hand launching into the air.

Vegeta's fist crackled with an intense energy and the Light Energy power grew even brighter and stronger than Piccolo's had. Not knowing where he was aiming or where his fist was going to land, Vegeta's body screamed in agony as all his power exited through his left hand. The angel power, along with all his remaining strength exploded from his fist as it was flung directly into Walcon's mouth, the demon's yellow, glassy teeth breaking off in the process.

The momentum of Vegeta's speed and strength carried him forward; making both beings plunge directly into the ground. Tunneling deeper into the red dirt, Vegeta's energy spiraled out of control as the Light Angel power shot in frenzied directions within Walcon's skull. The demon's blue light was instantly vanquished as the white light overcame it. Together the two opponents were buried deep within the core of the planet, the rocky ground and sandy dirt encasing them within the hellish world, but the energy within Vegeta's fist did not stop. He could hear Walcon shrieking in agony and terror as his head was blown apart. But the Light Angel power was not spent. Vegeta's fist drove even deeper, his gloved hand ripping straight through Walcon's body, splitting him in two and then plowing deeper into the rock and dirt that engulfed the frenzied prince.

Vegeta was barely aware of what was happening. He knew he was deep underground and could no longer breath. His power was completely out of control and it was carrying him deeper and deeper into the dark depths of hell. Rocks and dirt tore at his broken and torn innards, shredding anything that had been snagged by the metal. He was screaming as the planet shook and vibrated, the energy that was within him heating him up inside the deadly core of the demonic planet. Vegeta convulsed and trembled as he felt his body being completely torn apart. The Light Angel power had completely obliterated Walcon and now it was moving in to blow the planet up from the inside. Vegeta was the only way the Light Angel power could work properly and it would take his life to be rid of the shadow planet for good.

Through a hazy eye, Vegeta blinked as he saw a face in the distance…or was it only within his mind? There was an open-mouthed, shrieking face in his mind…yet also embedded in the rock with him. It was almost as if the solid, black rocks that covered this planet had formed a demonic, horrifying face, similar to Walcon's own awful expression. These black rocks took on the appearance of a narrow, screaming monster, the fangs bared and snarling and blackened eyes wide and panicked. It kept screaming and screaming and Vegeta thought his head might burst open just from the horrid sound. But the saiyajin could not cover his ears, nor could he move at all. He could only stare at the hazy, enraged and horrified face of the rocky surface. The dead black eyes snapped to him and the vicious expression roared furiously.

"FILITHY SAIYAJIN!!" It hollered, making Vegeta's head spin so badly he began to lose his vision completely. "I am the shadow planet, ruler of the shadow demons! I…will not be destroyed this way!!"

Vegeta let his eyes fall close and he felt his body finally begin to shut down. The core of the planet lost complete control and he could hear the final tormented and enraged screams of the planet as the Light Angel power ripped through every crack of the cold, dead world. A blissful heat surrounded the dying prince…then there was a numbing concussion…and he knew no more.

………….

"I have to go back for him!" Goku cried as Dende hovered over Bulma.

"No!" Piccolo yelled, his hand reaching out for the impatient warrior.

But Goku instantly vanished before he even brought his fingers to his head. Piccolo ran to where the fighter once stood and growled angrily. It would be a horrible thing if the kind-hearted being messed up their plans because of his loving heart.

The third class appeared outside the planet's atmosphere and hovered above the nightmarish land. His heart pounded in his ears as he felt the energy within it fluctuate dangerously. He could sense Vegeta, and amazingly enough; the prince's power was immensely high…and extremely unstable. Drawing forward briefly, Goku came to an immediate halt as he watched the surface of planet glow brightly, shiver oddly, and then suddenly erupt into hundreds of large pieces. A blinding white light struck the saiyajin's eyes, even brighter than the solar flare, and the third-class warrior had to turn and fly away from the dazzling, yet terrible sight.

…………

He lay there, unmoving, not breathing, simply bleeding. The small saiyajin lay on his mutilated, shredded back, the jagged rocks from the planet embedded deep inside his skin and within the large wound that had been torn into him. The explosion from the planet had basically shattered his already frail body. He'd used up his energy to destroy the awful world…and now he could finally rest. Lying in a pool of hot blood, Vegeta's dull eyes stared blankly out into a strange blue sky. He believed he was dead…but he could not move. He could barely see and could not feel a thing. He'd been dead once before, and he was at least able to breath, eat, speak, and feel…but now he could feel nothing. He could hear, though…and he heard footsteps.

Vegeta's head lolled to the side and he saw, past his mangled, bloody hand, a blurred figure approaching. A dark shadow drew closer, but it wavered strangely, as though Vegeta was trying to see him through a wave of heated gas on a desert road. Against the blue background, the somewhat bulky and swaggering form made its way toward him…and Vegeta felt his heart (or wherever his heart was) sink. It was Walcon…he had not been killed.

Plain back shoes came to stop right before Vegeta's pointed nose. The saiyajin felt himself blink and he somehow managed to swing his head up to look at the one that stood over him. Letting out a choked laugh, Vegeta merely managed to cough out a glob of blackened blood through stained teeth.

"Nice outfit," he gurgled.

The being knelt down like a small child and rested his chin on his covered knees. Dressed in a large, velvety black robe, Zacher cocked his head to the side and gave the saiyajin a pitied smirk.

"Ja. It is vat we must vear when on duty," he replied, his cool eyes gazing at the bloody mess that was once a strong and powerful being.

Vegeta's eyes closed slowly and then opened again, his gray orbs solid and glassy. His face remained passive, but Zacher could see the grief and defeat on the prince's young face.

"Am I dead now?"

The German grim reaper sighed and reached into his coat pocket. Pulling out a cigarette, he lit it with a swipe of his finger and looked around at the peaceful blue area. Avoiding the question, he bounced on his heels a bit before looking at the saiyajin that had not yet changed expression.

"Your body is," Zacher explained. "But technically speaking, you vill not be fully dead until I take you. I'll need to pull your soul from your body."

Vegeta groaned and pressed his face into the warm dirt he lay on. "Now you're going to take my soul, too?"

The German laughed and patted the numb saiyajin on his shoulder. Taking a drag on his cigarette, Zacher blew the smoke into the warm wind and smiled.

"Don't vorry," he said. "I von't be keeping it. Besides, you don't vant to be in pain anymore, hm?"

Vegeta shook his head slightly. "I'm not in pain now," he whispered.

"No. But you cannot feel anything either. Once you're in the spiritual realm, you'll get feeling again…und you vill feel better. But ja, don't you have those dragon nuts to wish you back?"

"Dragon balls," Vegeta replied with a tolerant smile.

Zacher laughed and rolled up his sleeve. His light eyes gazed at his fingertip and he let out a small "ah" as it sparked with a peaceful golden glow. He gave Vegeta a warm smile and brought his hand closer to the saiyajin's face.

"I cannot believe zat someone has gotten rid of those awful demons for good," Zacher said softly. "I am glad that it vas you, Prince Vegeta."

The kind man brought his finger forward, about to rest it upon Vegeta's forehead and end his life for good. The saiyajin merely lie silently, glad that his pain had finally stopped, and that the shadow demons were gone. The golden light shimmered in his eyes and he could feel the heat practically touching his forehead where the point of his widow's peak ended. He was ready to sleep.

Zacher gasped in surprised as a firm and incredibly strong hand clamped around his forearm. His smaller arm was forced back so abruptly that the grim reaper was thrown backwards, landing on his butt in the process.

A tall man with wild black hair stood over him fiercely, his dark eyes burning holes into him. Zacher shook his arm painfully and stood quickly, staring the intruder in the face.

"Vat do you think you're doing?!"

Goku crossed his arms and glared at the smaller man. "I'm not letting you take him. Vegeta is going back with me."

"Oh ja?" Zacher hissed in annoyance. "Look at him. He is dead. His body is dead. U take him back to the living vorld and he'll just choke to death and die a horrible, painful death with no numbness and no peace."

Goku shook his head and pointed to the yellow halo that hovered above his wild black hair.

"I'm taking him to Yemma. I have a friend there who can heal people just by touching them. You haven't taken Vegeta's soul yet, so there is still life in him. We can save him."

Zacher crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently. He glanced down at Vegeta's passive, motionless face and groaned in annoyance.

"I vill be breaking rules. Technically he is dead…und I should take his soul. He is already in the after life…"

"Please," Goku pleaded. "You know he's been through so much. Let him survive this. Let him go back to…Bulma…the woman he fought for."

Zacher's ears perked up at this and a slow smirk crept across his face. "Ach so…our little prince does have a woman he is fighting for. I knew it all along."

Goku grinned childishly and nodded. "Yeah. You don't want to pull them apart. I mean, we really don't want to have to collect all the dragon balls to wish him back. It'd be so much easier if you just let me take him back to the check in station so he can see Bulma again."

Zacher brought a hand to his chin and pondered it briefly. Shrugging he turned and held out a callused hand.

"Deal. Hell, I've done way vorse than this. Besides, after such a long day, he may need a bit of action from a hottie like zat."

"I can still hear, you know," Vegeta's quiet voice rasped.

Goku jumped at the prince's tired voice and blinked. He did not think the saiyajin would he able to speak since he was dead. Putting up his typical, childish front, Goku stuck out his hand and was about to grasp Zacher's, but pulled away quickly.

"Won't I die if I do that?!"

The German man's face fell and his cool eyes narrowed. "Idiot. You are dead!"

The third class put a hand behind his head and chuckled. Shaking the grim reaper's hand, Goku quickly moved to Vegeta's side and picked up his limp, dead body. The third-class's stomach sank as he was suddenly brought back to the prince's death against Frieza and how he had cradled him in this same fashion. Only then, the prince hadn't been aware it. Now he was wide-awake.

Nodding to the man dressed in black, Goku gave him a small smile and concentrated on the energy of all of his friends. He was positive they would not want to see Vegeta in such a way…especially Bulma, but the prince needed to be healed. Flickering briefly, Goku held the wounded being protectively as they faded and disappeared.

_'Whoo! Another chapter out of the way and…this story is almost over! cries! Again, I am so glad to all of you, my readers. Oh…and yes, Zacher does say U in this story for you because it's like he's saying "oo"…'cuz that's how he pronounces it. Anyway, I'll try to have the next chapter out soon. It's nearing the end of my school year so homework is going to be horribly crazy. Thanks!'_


	21. Sweet Dreams

_'Ah…the last chapter. It pains me so to end it, but all fanfictions must come to an end…or they should, at least. Anyway, it has been a long, fun journey, and I'm amazed I finally finished this fanfic, seeing as how I was at a loss many moments during it. But you, my fellow fanfiction readers, helped push me along and I am very grateful for you all._

_Thank you very much to all my readers and reviewers. Deep Damnation, you inspired to continue, being one of my first reviewers of this story. Thank you Pitkat for being an ever-loyal reader of my fanfics. Sayeh, you're awesome as usual. Miako6, sweet and cool as ever. DBZTeske, a very loyal reader of this fanfic, thank you. FrozenFlower, thank you for all the lovely reviews, it makes my day. Clarobell, I love your reviews and thank you for them. Debje, I'm glad I got to know you through this story. I love your reviews. Crocodile, thanks a bunch! The Angel That Fell, an inspiration as always. Thank you. Skippay, thank you for the ever-lively and awesome reviews. I love _you_ lots like vodka shots! Shineko, I love your reviews and thanks a bunch. Happy-Hippy, Mighty Agamemnon, yume-no-yami, Engelmohr2004, Vegetto800, Raccly e.r17, dbz27, Killjoy, Dark Phoenix, Maia, Nessa, SaiyanSoilder, hyuniejungie, SilentLucidityx, Ice Phoenix, KitsuK8, Pink Cat, DBZAngelX, Raditz65, SSJShadow, Trynia Merin, Benny, dark crow, renee easterling, tweety, two toe, vegetarae, wingedangel, East Elf, Tattered Crimson, Gothic Dream, and Azmidiske, thank you all for the reviews. Your words truly helped this story along. And last but not least, Lupin Goddess. I love your reviews and your awesome pointers. Without you and everyone else, I don't think this story could have been finished. Thanks again!'_

Disclaimer: This is a non-profit fanfiction written by an obsessed fan of Dragonball Z, which was created by the genius Akira Toriyama.

Chapter 21

Heads turned quickly as a shimmering orange form suddenly appeared in the center of King Yemma's station. Excited and shocked gasps filled the room as all eyes landed on the back of their strong friend, Goku. He remained motionless and still as he faced away from them, but they could see the stained white boots that dangled to his right side and the wild tuft of bloody hair that hung over his left arm.

"Goku?" Dende spoke softly, not used to the happy and childish saiyajin's silence.

Gohan stepped forward, his face grim and tense as he concentrated on the energy of the being in his father's arms. The young saiyajin had been healed by Dende, his power as high as ever and shoulder feeling great. But, his mind was completely focused on his father's emotions and lack of Vegeta's life source.

"Father," he said. "Vegeta's energy. It's…gone."

There was a sharp intake of breath from the earth warriors, but they were shoved aside as the beautiful, blue-haired goddess pushed her way forward. Bulma's blue eyes were wide with shock and her mouth was already open and trembling.

The poor woman had woken up during her healing process in a great deal of pain. Dende and the others had to calm and relax her, telling her that she was ok and going to survive. But that wasn't what she was worried about. The last she had seen of Vegeta was the image of a giant metal contraption being shoved entirely through his body. She remembered the clawed hand that shot through her own abdomen, but obviously her friends had brought her to Dende in time. Through her pain and terror, she thought only of Vegeta and the horror and agony he must be feeling.

And now here he was. She could see just a little bit of his mangled, damaged form. Gohan said he was dead. Goku was not looking at them. Sagging to her knees, Bulma felt her stomach clench and hot tears rise. Her throat closed painfully and she swallowed harshly. A small whimper escaped and her shoulders began to shake violently as a wave of horrible grief washed over her.

"Don't cry, Bulma," Goku's soft voice said.

The room was practically buzzing as it grew quiet and the third-class slowly turned, his eyes shadowed and downcast. Bulma let out a miserable sob at the sight of her once proud and strong prince. In Goku's arms he now laid limp and lifeless, his skin white as a sheet, once black eyes now gray and staring blankly, and his entire body covered in blood. No one could get a good view of the wreckage and gore that tattooed his abdomen as Goku held him protectively, but they had a good idea of the horrible wounds that ended his life.

Yamcha stepped forward and placed a hand on Bulma's trembling shoulder. His eyes remained glued to floor, as he could not stand to see the body that Goku held. Bulma's pain affected them all.

"Goku…he's…he's…"

"No."

All eyes shot up to the bloodstained warrior as a small smirk rested upon his features. The silence drew on as everyone in the room stared at Goku, and then to Vegeta. It appeared that the earth saiyajin had finally lost it.

"Goku," King Yemma sighed. "I'm afraid that you're mistaken. I know it is a painful loss for you, but…" the great king hesitated as something seemed to catch his attention. Jerking forward slightly, the red-faced giant eyed the motionless prince skeptically, before narrowing his small black eyes and thinning his lips in annoyance. "I see that the grim reapers are not doing their jobs."

The earthlings all looked back at the spirit king that sat at his desk and then back at Goku. The third-class saiyajin chuckled in amusement and shrugged.

"Technically speaking, I pretty much had to beg the guy not to take his soul. He was really reluctant, trust me…but he let me take Vegeta anyway. Please go easy on him."

King Yemma sighed and leaned back in his chair. Of course, trust Goku to bend the rules of the after life.

"Wait," Bulma whispered. Standing shakily, the blue-haired genius watched Goku move forward until he stood next to her. "What's going on?"

Goku gave her his usual wide-eyed smile and then looked back up at King Yemma.

"The grim reapers didn't take Vegeta's soul. His body is dead, but I guess you can't be considered fully deceased until your spirit is taken completely out, right Yemma?"

The red king rolled his eyes and nodded. There was still a part of him that hoped Vegeta would not have made it. He really didn't want to be on the receiving end of the prince's angry tongue lashing if he made it out. And obviously, the saiyajin was more resilient than he thought.

"Has it always been this way?" Yamcha blurted. "I don't remember any grim reapers when I died."

"That's because you were still on the living plane when you died," Yemma snapped. "It's rare…extremely rare to be alive in the after life and then die, such as what has happened to Vegeta, but if that does happen, you are more likely to see the reapers and communicate with the dead or lords of the dead. I've seen very few cases such as this."

Bulma looked quickly at Goku, then to Vegeta, and then finally to King Yemma. The woman's thoughts were a jumble of screaming ideas and it felt as if her brain was about to burst. Shaking her blue locks, her delicate hands went to her temples and then pinched the bridge of her nose.

"Let me get this straight," she sighed, her intelligent brain moving as slow as molasses. "Vegeta IS dead…but not fully, since his spirit was not taken?" The king nodded and she continued. "But since he died here, in the spirit realm, he's still conscious of the happenings around him, whereas a person who died in the living world is cut off as soon as he dies, but still has to be taken by a grim reaper?"

King Yemma twiddled his thumbs briefly before leaning over the table and looking down at the mess in Goku's arms.

"Vegeta, how are you feeling?" His loud voice boomed.

The saiyajin's dark eyes lifted and he scowled at the large being. The prince wished he could move his hands…just so he could give the ass-hole the finger, but he was entirely numb, as if he had no body at all.

"Absolutely great," he hissed. "I'm going to assume that you are feeling well, too, seeing as how I alleviated your little demon problem for you."

Narrowing his eyes, Yemma looked back and Bulma and nodded. "He's the same as always."

Bulma's eyes widened and she looked up at Goku. The kind-hearted saiyajin gave her an amused shrug and nodded. In a flash, Bulma was at Vegeta's side, her small hands encompassing his and large tears already falling from her eyes. A wave of emotions struck her: relief, fear, worry, sympathy, guilt, happiness. Vegeta was alive…yet not. His soul was trapped in a dead body. He was unfeeling and could not move a muscle, but he was no longer in pain.

Vegeta's face turned to glare at Goku, though only King Yemma and he could see it. Rolling his eyes, the prince nodded at his woman as she gripped his grimy hand and sighed.

"Can you have that little green bean heal me now?" He moaned. "I can't take much more of this not being able to move, having the woman clutch to me like a rag-doll situation."

Goku chuckled and nodded. Turning away, the taller saiyajin made his way over to Dende, his movements pulling Vegeta away from the grieving woman. Placing the prince lightly on the tiled floor, the other Z fighters flocked around Goku's side and stared down at the destroyed body. Many of them instantly paled at the sight of his deformed frame and glanced away. The hole in his back and stomach had been torn open even more when the planet exploded, leaving him almost in half. His armor was basically non-existent, only a few stained remnants of the once white and yellow outfit clinging to his shoulders and chest. So used to his usual glassy, yet fiery expression, the fighters were chilled to the bone as his lifeless, expressionless face stared forward, his eyes blank and pale.

The floor began to darken as the last few amounts of blood escaped from the dead body. Yamcha, Tien, and Krillin backed away as the almost black substance crept closer to their feet. Goku stared at his ally, still surprised that he could see shadowy movements within the prince, almost as if he were translucent. Goku, being dead, could see the trapped soul. It was the hazy spirit that remained hidden within Vegeta that Goku could talk to and hear. Vegeta's spirit could move and look around, but it was just a ghostly image trapped in a dead cage. Shuddering, Goku could only imagine what the prince must be feeling, trapped and unable to escape from his own dead corpse.

There was a loud stamp that echoed throughout the small building, startling all the earthlings. They turned to see King Yemma continuing his judging of the spirits that still waited in line. He had work to do and the small group to the side of his building could not interrupt him now. Bulma sighed angrily and turned back to her prince, her anger building at the lack of compassion the supposed "great" king had. Vegeta was in a horrid state of affairs and Yemma acted as if it were no big deal, when really this whole situation was his fault.

But there was no time to dwell on this as she watched Dende search for an area to place his hands. Bulma almost felt sorry for the young guardian, as it was obvious he didn't want to place his small palms anywhere where there was a massive amount of blood. Unfortunately, it was everywhere. She watched as the young green namek rested one hand on Vegeta's forehead and one on his bloodstained chest. Even past the forest coloring of the namek child, Bulma could see him pale as the prince's icy skin and sticky blood connected with his palms. But Dende kept his composure and concentrated. Closing his eyes, the teenager's face grew tense as he searched for a way to heal the lifeless body. A small stream of sweat ran down his face and he took in a shaky breath.

"This is difficult," he murmured. "His spirit is here and there. I need it concentrated in one area."

Goku watched as Vegeta's agitated spiritual face frowned and glanced up at him. "What did he say?"

"You need to gather yourself up in one area so Dende can find you," Goku replied, feeling a bit stupid knowing that no one else could hear him.

The small namek nodded and cracked open one eye. "Vegeta, I want you to focus whatever energy you have and build yourself up into a cloud-like form in the center of your chest."

Vegeta blinked and scoffed outrageously. "How the fuck am I supposed to do that? I can't even feel myself!"

Goku blushed at the prince's harsh words and turned to Dende. "He doesn't really know how."

The namek grew nervous and closed his eyes again. Concentrating even harder, the small lord of earth hummed quietly as he reached deep into Vegeta's dark psyche and searched for any source of light or power.

"Vegeta, I'm concentrating deeply into your form. Search for me and when you find my energy, latch on and don't let go. Concentrate only on me."

Goku watched as Vegeta rolled his eyes and sighed, but complied with the boy's wishes. Closing his eyes, the prince willed himself through the darkness that surrounded him. Goku watched for a while as the spirit of his friend seemed to just lie there for several minutes, the miserable warrior's face concentrated and tense. The wavering soul leapt suddenly and Goku gasped as Vegeta slowly began to fade, his eyes squeezed shut and "body" slowly disappearing.

"Where's he going?" Goku cried.

The other fighters grew alarmed and moved closer, but Dende shushed them all, his small body almost vibrating as he focused deeply on the task at hand. No breath came from any of the surrounding people as they concentrated their own powers and searched out for any sign of life from the lifeless body of their ally. Bulma moved closer until she was hovering directly over her loved one. Her hands wrung tightly into her ripped pants and her face remained tense and worried.

"Yesss…"Dende whispered. "Now focus on me and me only. Try your absolute best to ignore any pain you feel. Ignore your exhaustion, ignore your fears, ignore everything that you feel or hear, and only concentrate on me."

All the fighters drew impossibly close now as they watched Dende go to work. The familiar green light shimmered around his hands, the angelic brightness moving about Vegeta's torn and mutilated form like gentle waves in the ocean. They watched for any sign of movement or life from Vegeta, but even after five minutes the prince remained lifeless and pale. The gaping hole in his stomach remained large and ripped and the chunks of flesh that had been torn from him remained open and bleeding. The burn mark on the side of his face looked as angry and blistered as ever.

The warriors focused all their power on locating Vegeta's energy. Bulma looked at the nervous and strained faces of her friends and felt her stomach sink further and further as nothing happened. Perhaps Vegeta was too far-gone to bring himself back to life. Perhaps Dende was too inexperienced to center Vegeta's spirit and allow him to spread life throughout this body again.

"I know," Dende suddenly said, his head low and hands shaking from the amount of energy he put forth. "It hurts, yes, but concentrate only on me, Vegeta. Your pain tells you that you are reawakening."

Bulma gasped and closed her eyes. Vegeta was slowly coming back to life…and he could feel the horrific pain that had torn apart his body. She prayed that he could hold onto Dende's warmth and healing power. She hoped her prince had enough energy and life in him to fight off the excruciating agony he would feel when fully regaining his senses. Hopefully Dende would be finished healing him before he woke up entirely.

Unfortunately, Vegeta's spirit seemed to fully filter throughout his broken and damaged frame again. Lurching back suddenly, a wheezing gasp came from Vegeta's aching and bleeding throat. His back arched and his hands fisted viciously into the tiled floor, his nails scratching and breaking against the rough surface. The broken saiyajin's eyes squeezed shut as the pain in his entire damaged body hit him full force and his mouth opened in a silent scream.

The earth warriors surrounded him quickly, holding him still as he began to flail and writhe. A stream of blackened blood poured over his white lips and he choked violently as he tried to draw a breath into his throbbing lungs. Bulma remained at his side, her face suddenly as pale as his, her eyes wide with fright, and hands fisted at her mouth. The sight of her powerful and brave love convulsing so horribly sent an icy wave of terror and grief throughout her shaking frame. A shocked horror crept through her as she could only imagine what kind of pain he must be feeling.

Vegeta coughed once more, his eyes fluttering open briefly and rolling around in his head before he let out a high-pitched, agonizing scream. He convulsed more as his body cried out in pain, his destroyed organs and ripped muscles struggling to function.

"Dende!" Gohan cried as he tightly held one of Vegeta's weakened bleeding arms.

The namek breathed deeply, his face pouring sweat and body practically vibrating against the strain of sending enough energy into Vegeta to heal him enough to live.

"Concentrate…on me," the boy gasped. "Look for my energy and latch onto it, Vegeta. Please…ignore…the pain…ignore…"

For one terrifying instant, the warriors watched as Dende's hands curled up loosely and his small caped body swayed back and forth dangerously. The amount of power it took to bring Vegeta's spirit fully into use again AND heal all the tremendous wounds appeared too much for the little namek. His dark eyes opened briefly before he sagged forward and groaned, his light green power fading more and more. His right hand slid from Vegeta's forehead and his left slowly began to do the same as it glided from Vegeta's heaving chest. But delicate smooth hands gripped Dende's shaking fists and placed them together over Vegeta's heart. The small namek looked with bleary eyes at the two lovely hands that carefully covered his and followed them up until staring into two watery blue eyes.

Bulma clasped Dende's small hands in hers and together they placed them against Vegeta's heart. The blue-haired woman closed her eyes, a few tears falling in the process and she began to repeat, "concentrate", "concentrate", "concentrate", over and over again. Dende's eyes widened in surprise briefly, before he nodded in agreement and turned back to the task at hand. His green light grew brighter this time and the fighters that restrained Vegeta's wounded form were shocked at the waves of energy emitted from the exhausted namek. With wide eyes they watched as Bulma held Dende's hands against Vegeta's chest, the action miraculously lending strength to the little namek's energy.

Vegeta's struggles seemed to ease slowly and the fighters stepped away in amazement as the wounded flesh that outlined the horrid injuries began to shift and meld together. Dende's green light crept across Vegeta's body, the shimmering power leaking into the deep holes, making its way to his back and healing his insides. The prince's face still remained pale from the blood loss, but his expression relaxed greatly. The small lacerations and cuts all over his weakened form slowly faded and disappeared, leaving his skin smooth and healthy again. With a strange sucking sound, the gaping hole in his abdomen closed up and left his muscular abs bloodstained, yet strong. The holes that had been stabbed into his legs and arms earlier healed up, though, his skin was still red and bruised.

The fighters of earth gasped lightly as Vegeta's dark eyes fluttered briefly before cracking open. His heavy lids gazed at all of them as if he couldn't recognize them, before gazing up and to the side. His strained, pale face seemed to brighten suddenly as his black irises landed on Bulma's bowed head. The warriors of earth were amazed to see Vegeta slide one shaking arm across the tiled floor, his trembling fingers brushing against Bulma's arm.

The blue-haired beauty did not even jump or appear startled. Her shimmering eyes opened slowly and she looked down at Vegeta, a peaceful smile appearing on her face. Lifting one hand from Dende's smaller hands, she placed her fingers around Vegeta's stained fingers, the two remaining silent and at peace. Vegeta's tired lids blinked in a way as if to say thank you before nodding off into a restful sleep. Bulma remained gripping her prince's cold hand as he remained finally at ease. His face showed the true emotions of peace at last and the relief of the whole end of the ordeal.

Dende finally sagged and fell onto his back against Bulma's chest. He let out a tired sigh of air and wiped his sweating forehead in exhaustion.

"That's all I can do," he gasped. "He's not entirely healed…but his saiyajin immune system is back up and as healthy as ever. Give him a day or two and he'll be back to his usual training before you know it."

And with that, the young guardian of earth fell into a deep sleep, as well. Bulma laughed lightly and patted the young boy's head. Looking up at all her friends the blue-haired woman broke out into a wave of giggles. Her happy voice lifted throughout the spirit check-in station and swept across snakeway. Even in the depths of hell the joyous woman's laughter could be heard. The Shadow Demons had been defeated…and it seemed that the nightmare was finally over.

…………..

It took about an hour for Vegeta to wake once more. In an almost dream-like state, the prince stood quietly before King Yemma's desk as the group of earth warriors confronted the red-faced giant at last. Vegeta blinked slowly once in a while, but mostly allowed his eyes to fall shut as the occasional ache and stabbing pain would shoot through his insides. He was quite grateful that he no longer experienced any of the agony he had felt only an hour ago. Dende had done his best to heal him, but the loss of blood and almost complete annihilation of his innards was too big of a job for the youth to heal entirely.

"I already discussed this with King Kai. I will absolutely ensure the complete detailed examination of a person's soul before judgment," Yemma told them snappily, trying to regain the time that had been wasted over the past few hours.

"That's not good enough," Bulma shot back. She rubbed the hole in her bloodstained shirt subconsciously and shook her head angrily. "We all almost died. I had a fucking hand stabbed through my back and out my stomach. Th-that isn't supposed to happen to me! I'm not a fighter, King Yemma. I'm a goddamn scientist! Yamcha gets hands stabbed through his stomach, not me!"

"Hey!"

"I understand, Miss Bulma," the giant king replied gently. "And believe me when I say that my emotions are here and there since this entire situation started. I, and all the other Kais, shall investigate behavioral changes and actions of those of the condemned and those of the heavenly passage. Please understand…that I have been in a living hell since this whole situation started. I cannot easily admit it when I'm wrong…but I have seen the errors and lazy actions of my ways."

"He's been in a living hell?" Vegeta muttered.

Bulma smirked at her still dazed prince and turned back to King Yemma. "What about Vegeta here?"

The red king seemed to shrink back slightly, a look of fear entering his face as he looked at the haughty woman.

"What about him?"

"Heaven? Hell? What's to happen to him when he dies again?"

King Yemma took a good look at all the earth fighters as they stared intently up at him. The collar around his shirt suddenly felt extremely tight and he tugged at it as he thought of what to say. The king glanced down at the pale, bloody prince and sighed.

"I told you I would be truthful and judge accordingly…so that I will. Prince Vegeta, of the Saiyajin race, your actions in the past have been horrid, downright evil." Yemma watched and waited for any movements or reactions from the prince, but he received none. "Your whole life, it appeared, seemed to be nothing but murder, torment, and selfish actions. It seemed that you would never change. But…I guess even we kings can be wrong sometimes." The giant ogre looked at Bulma and smiled warmly. "People change and obviously you have. Over the past years, your actions have changed and it seems that the prince of the saiyajins actually has a heart." To this Vegeta groaned in great annoyance. "But two or three years of peaceful nature does not make-up for years of torture and evil-doing on your part. Yes, you were trained this way and yes you were raised in a horrid environment. There didn't seem to be much of an option for you to escape…but your actions were still wrong. Had you died today, I would have sent you to hell."

The fighters remained quiet as Yemma's grand voice boomed throughout the small station. The words were harsh, yet wise at the same time. It seemed that even through his thoughtless, biased actions, King Yemma was still a judge, and could view things in a different way.

"But just because that is what I would have done today, does not mean it has to be that way in the future. Give it a few more years and we shall see how your behavior and actions change. You're on your way, Vegeta. You have a decision to make, Prince of all Saiyajins. I think you know what path you want to take. I'm not here to explain what actions you need to do to ensure a door into heaven or hell…only you can know. Though, right now you are pretty thin ice. Killing Frieza…" the king shook his head in annoyance. "Not smart or wise." He turned his head to the side and gave Vegeta a curios glance. "Though, you already know that."

Vegeta's dark eyes lifted, but he remained silent.

"You're changing already," the king said with a smile. He could see the emotions and feelings of Frieza's death on the saiyajin's face. Sighing loudly, the enormous ogre stacked some papers and tossed them into the large bin next to his desk. "I feel I must tell you all, though, that you have done amazing work. Jumping into the mouth of the beast is insanely brave. The shadow demons were vicious monsters. I would never have hired them if I were king long ago," he said with a hearty scoff.

"Oh sure, King Yemma," Krillin mused.

The large king eyed the short human skeptically and cleared his throat. "You know, what I said to Vegeta applies to all of you. Careful judging will be starting."

The once bald monk waved his hands nervously. "I was just joking! Just joking!"

Jumping behind his taller friend, Krillin peeked out from behind Goku's broad back. The third class chuckled and shook his head. He was glad that the whole ordeal was over. It was a horrific nightmare he knew he would not be able to forget as long as he existed in the universe. It appeared that the Kais had not been honest with him and that had destroyed the kind-hearted saiyajin, but he was glad to see that they were willing to fix it.

Turning away, Goku began to trudge toward one of the open doors that led out to snakeway. His heart suddenly began to pound and he could hear the feet of his friends hurrying after him. King Yemma watched curiously as the orange clad saiyajin simply exited his building, but smiled knowingly as he knew it was time for the hero of earth to say goodbye to his friends. Sighing and looking at more papers on his desk, the red king was startled to see Vegeta turn and glare at him as he, too, followed Goku.

"I guess this is goodbye for now," Vegeta's dark voice rumbled.

King Yemma nodded nervously. "So it seems. You had better hurry up. Goku appears to be leaving."

Vegeta scoffed and shook his head as he watched his rival stride proudly out of the building. "Always looking for ways to get rid of me," Vegeta mused. "Just be thankful I'm missing more than half my blood and had my organs almost completely ripped out. At full power…I'd have already kicked you through the wall."

And with that simple threat, the tired prince turned and chased after Goku, leaving Yemma trembling at his desk.

Entering the warm outside, Vegeta watched as the earthlings surrounded Goku, hugging him and begging him not to go. With a happy grin Goku patted his teary-eyed son on the head and supported all his other worried and dreary friends. The prince watched from the side as pure joy and love surrounded the happy gang, their hearts crying out as they bid Goku farewell. Vegeta took a deep breath and stared into the yellow sky. His face remained blank but a whirlwind of emotions swept through him. He knew he would never have such support or love from such a large group of friends as Goku did. He didn't really want it, though. He didn't need love from anyone to survive. He could return to earth at that moment, hop on a spaceship and leave, and feel no regret.

But as he continued to watch the sad, loving faces of Kakarotto's friends, he realized that there was someone he would miss. There were people back home, at Capsule Corp., that he would definitely miss. There would be simple joys such as Panchi's cooking and her cheery voice that very often aggravated him to no end that he would miss. Dr. Brief's mild voice and mellow attitude had always made him admire the genius. And then there was his son. The purple-haired Trunks with his fiery attitude and amazing power-level was surely something that Vegeta loved. His son would grow up to be a great fighter and it would be Vegeta's hard work and training that would get him there. And then there was Bulma. The grim reapers of earth could easily see his love for her, even though he would never admit it. Hell, wasn't this entire situation proof enough that he loved the loud-mouthed, outgoing woman?

Staring at Bulma as she hugged Goku tightly and cried made Vegeta's heart swell strangely. He had felt Bulma's presence as he was being pulled back to life. Dende's power almost disappeared completely, and had that happened, he would have been trapped in his own dead body for good. But the little green namek's energy returned over his heart, and Vegeta swore that he saw Bulma's warm hand reaching out for him. Through the horrific agony and torturing pain, the dead prince was pulled back to life as he heard Bulma cry out for him and grab a hold of his fading life. The human girl with no power to speak of had saved him, not only once, but many times. Even when he came back to earth for good, she had saved him, invited him to live with her, fed him, clothed him, and gave him a home to call his own. He couldn't imagine where he would be without the crazy female. She faced the Shadow Demons head on for him. And hadn't he done the same for her? Vegeta, the selfish, self-centered, power-crazed prince, had gone out of his way to protect Bulma, and she had done the same for him.

This realization made Vegeta uncomfortable. He had never even acknowledged these bizarre facts before and it was not common in his life to relate these occurrences to himself. He knew that he had decisions to make about his future now, and it was going to be difficult. Whether it was his duty to take a path of good or continue down a path of evil was up to him. It would be a long time before he could decide.

The prince was pulled from his thoughts as he heard Goku's clicking boots approach him. Looking up slowly, the weary saiyajin stared into the warm face of his rival. Glancing at the ground and then back up at the powerful warrior, Vegeta crossed his arms and waited for the idiot's dopey goodbye.

Reaching a large hand out, Goku rested his palm on Vegeta's right left shoulder and smiled softly.

"I really don't know what to say," the earth-raised saiyajin sighed. "I've experienced things I never could have imagined. I…I really am a naïve creature, Vegeta."

The prince stared into the face of the brave fighter with a concentrated expression. It was an odd thing for the usually happy-go-lucky warrior to say, seeing as he had never been afraid in any situation.

"I'm sorry for ever judging your actions, your attitude, or ideas," Goku continued. "To be raised in such an environment and forced to experience such things…" he trailed off and shuddered. "We shouldn't judge things we don't understand and we shouldn't assume the worse in people if we don't know what has caused them to act in such a way. You've had it rough, Vegeta, and I know that you get stronger with each new experience you encounter. You amaze me more and more and after seeing your bravery today, I am even more in awe of your powers. In the future, when we fight again, I know it will be an awesome battle."

Vegeta couldn't help the true smile that appeared on his face. He could feel the heat of embarrassment from such kind and complimentary words that he so rarely received, but hearing them from Kakarotto made him swell with pride.

"Kakarotto…" the prince clicked his tongue, trying to find the right words. "I can sense a battle in the near future, and trust me, baka, I will pummel you into the ground so hard King Yemma will wonder why you returned back to him so soon."

The third class blinked in surprise and then laughed. The earthlings watched in surprise as Goku simply cackled at Vegeta's subtle words and they, too, found themselves laughing. In the face of the horror and anguish they had met that day, the world suddenly seemed much lighter and the heavy and terrifying burden was lifted from their shoulders. Goku slapped Vegeta playfully on the back and turned to his laughing friends as they wiped tears from their eyes and smiled. Tying his blue sash tighter around his waist, Goku gave them a short salute and took to the air.

He waved goodbye to his friends and gave them a classic Goku grin. Turning to Vegeta, he smiled confidently, and to this the saiyajin prince gave the powerful fighter a determined nod and smiled back at him. Goku brought two fingers to his forehead and waved once more before shimmering and vanishing from their sight.

With their heads still upturned, the small group let out a collective sigh and peered at each other as if not knowing what to do now. Bulma smiled and trudged over to her prince's side and nuzzled up against his arm. Vegeta remained staring at the spot where Goku once floated, a million thoughts going through his head. But one idea sounded the best, and he couldn't help but voice it.

"I'm going home…and I'm taking a hot a bath."

Bulma giggled and pressed her face against the torn blue material on his arm. Returning to the group of fighters, the seven tired people made their way to Dende and teleported back to earth.

…………….

Vegeta whimpered again and tossed back and forth in bed, his brow creased and lips pressed together as they trembled. Running her fingers back and forth through her prince's feathery hair, all Bulma could do was to try and relax the scared prince as his nightmares invaded his mind.

It had been a week since the battle against the Shadow Demons, and Vegeta's nightmares had been worse than ever. Thrashing in his sleep, crying out, and ripping through the sheets were only a few of the anguished actions he took as images of demons and shadows of the past controlled his dreams. Murmuring about Frieza and the other monsters he had met in his life very often woke Bulma up early in the morning. Usually the two had slept separately, but ever since returning home, Vegeta's fears of the dark led him to Bulma's bed.

The blue-haired beauty didn't mind, though. She silently thanked the downtrodden occurrences for allowing her love to share a bed with her. Vegeta wouldn't express his fears or his concerns, but just crawl into bed with her, sometimes cuddle a bit, and then fall into a fitful sleep.

The week seemed to drag on and Vegeta would go throughout his days in an exhausted act of training. He had gained his strength back since the battle, but his lack of restful sleep affected him greatly. Very often he couldn't make it through the day without collapsing on the couch in the living room before having to be woken up again by his son or other family member for crying out in his sleep. After one particular outburst of terror, Trunks came running to his mother as she prepared dinner in the kitchen. The poor boy had been disturbed by incoherent words his father spoke and begged his mom to go make him feel better.

Bulma approached her sleeping prince as he lay on the couch, tangled neck to toe in sheets and sweating profusely. A look of deep distress rested on his features and Bulma couldn't bare the look of agony and fear etched in his expression. Leaning forward, the blue-haired goddess lightly tapped Vegeta on the cheek and brushed a hand through his locks. The saiyajin immediately calmed before cracking a blurred eye open and peering at the worried face of his loved one. Sitting up slightly, Vegeta pulled the sheets tightly around his shaking frame and allowed more room for Bulma to sit.

Doing so, Bulma rested at Vegeta's toes and gave him a pitied smile. Wiping some sweat from his brow with a shaky hand, Vegeta merely gripped the pale bed sheets, the closed curtains of the room casting a deathly glow on his pale features.

"You were dreaming again," Bulma whispered.

Vegeta nodded and swallowed, his throat sore and incredibly dry.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Shaking his head, Vegeta swallowed again and asked for some water. Bulma nodded and reached into her pocket, pulled out a remote, pressed some buttons, and in a few minutes one of the cleaning droids entered carrying a large glass of ice water. Vegeta snatched the liquid up quickly and downed the whole drink, then replaced the empty cup on the robot's little tray.

"Vegeta, you've been having these horrible dreams for a week now. I'm worried."

The prince laughed lightly at her nervousness and glanced around the dark room. He could tell the sun was setting as the closed curtains glowed with a deep red light. Everything in the living room was dull and covered with a rich maroon color and Vegeta felt jumpy, as the haunting shadows seemed to jump out at him.

"Woman…Bulma. I go through these bouts of nightmares and anxiety all the time. It'll last for a week or two and then I'll be fine. We really don't need to talk about it."

About to lie down again, Vegeta stopped as Bulma reached out and gripped his clammy hand. His dark eyes peered at her delicate fingers and then up into her serious blue eyes.

"Then we won't talk about the nightmares you're having. We'll talk about the nightmares you've experienced in real life." Vegeta groaned and tried to lie down again, but Bulma harshly pulled him back up by the scruff of his shirt. "Listen mister," she snapped. "You and I both know the pain and horror of the shadow demons. We both know the terror that was relinquished on us. I think it would be better if we talked about it."

"Bulma, I-"

"No, Vegeta. I want you to tell me exactly what you're feeling. I want you tell me what you're afraid of now that the Shadow Demons are gone. You're a brave warrior and you're one hell of a smart guy. I can understand that an experience like this will give you bad dreams but-"

"Woman-"

"Hold on. But I know you have the power to forget and move on. Letting your past effect the present is just-"

"Bulma I am worried about the present, but it's not what you think!"

The intelligent woman was at a loss for words as she stared at Vegeta in the ever-darkening room. His face was serious and brooding, and she refused to continue on. He sighed and leaned back slightly against the couch's arm rest. Pulling Bulma into his lap he held her close as they lay in the sheets together.

"My nightmares, they've been about my past experiences, yes…but they have mostly been about…you." He hesitated and pressed his forehead against Bulma's back, listening to her steady heartbeat. "You were almost killed, Bulma. You got involved in my battle and experienced something that should have only been my problem. I fear that someday my reckless actions will get you hurt, or worse, killed. I fear the future and I fear myself."

Bulma's eyes widened as she stiffened and stared at the bottom of the stairs that entered the room. She shook her head as if trying to hear him right and then turned so they were face to face. She placed both hands on the side of his face, her expression remaining calm and collected as she stared into his almost innocent face.

"Vegeta," she stated, her voice heavy and slow. "I got involved with the Shadow Demons because I wanted to. I love you and refused to sit there and allow you to get killed. I saw what you went through and I knew that I would not let those monsters get you. And I saw what you did for me. I know that you will never let me get hurt. I know that you will do anything to protect me." Vegeta opened his mouth to respond, but Bulma placed two delicate fingers over his lips. "We make mistakes in our lives, Vegeta, but you should never beat yourself up. As Yemma said, you have a chance to improve or you have the choice to remain the same. To me, I don't think you can improve anymore, because I love you now, as you are. You don't need to dream about my getting hurt or killed. I know that as long as I'm with you, I am safe."

"I cannot make an instant decision to change my ways, Bulma," Vegeta said softly. "A person can only change over time."

Bulma nodded and draped herself along Vegeta's reclined body, her arms swiftly rising along his arms.

"We have all the time in the world, Vegeta," she sighed. "And you no longer have any monsters in the shadows to fear. Just friends and family."

Vegeta leaned his head back against the soft armrest of the couch, his dark eyes gazing at the ceiling as Bulma fell asleep against his stomach. With one arm under his head and one hand dreamily running fingers through Bulma's hair, Vegeta felt his eyes fall closed. It would be a long path to discover himself. He felt fear toward his future and his permanent way of life, but decided that he would just run with it and see how life would turn out. He felt warmth deep within him as Bulma slept soundly with him. He smiled softly as he felt Trunks clamber upon his mother's back and instantly fall into a slumber. A heavy relief overcame him as he realized that the monsters that haunted him finally disappeared. He could be himself and lead his own path.

He fell asleep and no creatures of the nightmare bothered him during his slumber.

_'Aw, sweet and sappy as most of my fan-fictions end. Well, thanks again to all those that read and reviewed. I am so glad that you found it interesting and disturbing and I love all the feedback I got. Thanks again!_

_-Vegetachik7_


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